23.2.21

India inks free trade pact with Mauritius

India signed a free trade and investment agreement with Mauritius, the first with any country in Africa. It was also the first time since 2011 that India was signing a free trade pact with any country.

Announcing this in Port Louis, foreign minister S Jaishankar said the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement “will provide a boost for revival of our post-Covid economies and also enable Indian investors to use Mauritius as a launch-pad for expansion into continental Africa helping the prospect of Mauritius emerging as a ‘hub of Africa’.”

In his first visit there as foreign minister Jaishankar also handed over another 100,000 doses of Covid vaccines to PM Pravind Jugnauth. He said, “A special $100 million Defence Line of Credit has also been signed today.”

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