SAGAR to MAHASAGAR | India reinforces its role in the Indian Ocean

During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Mauritius, the Indian Navy and Mauritius Coast Guard signed a technical agreement to share white shipping information. This would help Mauritius curb illegal fishing practices in its waters. Moreover, India’s growing security co-operation with Mauritius will contribute towards a ‘free and open’ western Indian region.

Located at a crucial geostrategic juncture and a central trans-shipment point, Mauritius has approximately 2.3 million square kilometres of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), with another 400,000 square kilometres jointly managed with the Seychelles. The Mauritius blue economy activity represents 10.3 per cent of its national GDP and employs around 20,000 people, excluding coastal tourism.

The blue economy is vital for Mauritius not only to develop and sustain its economy, but also to strengthen its economic diversification in key maritime sectors such as port infrastructure, shipping, tourism, seafood, fisheries, aquaculture, underwater cultural heritage, and renewable energy. The country has an ‘Oceans Economy Roadmap’ and recently established a Ministry for Blue Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries, and Shipping as the implementing agency of the roadmap.

Yet, it continues to suffer from a substantial volume of Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing. In addition to the economic loss, Mauritius bears the brunt of the environmental consequences of these IUU practices. India has been a longstanding partner of Mauritius in building its maritime capabilities. In 2017, India leased an Interceptor Boat C-139, together with on-board equipment to the National Coast Guard of Mauritius.

In addition to the white shipping agreement, India agreed to assist Mauritius in safeguarding its vast EEZ by providing defence assets, joint maritime surveillance, hydrographic surveys, and regular patrolling. Earlier, Indian naval vessels conducted several hydrographic and oceanographic surveys for Mauritius free of charge, enabling this country to revise its antiquated nautical charts and create new ones.

For some time now, the Indian Navy has been deploying naval ships to Mauritius for the joint surveillance of its EEZ to combat piracy and illegal fishing and to reinforce maritime security in the region.

India hosts the Indian Information Fusion Centre for the Indian Ocean Region, a centre for collaborative maritime safety and security to enhance maritime domain awareness through information sharing and co-operation in Gurugram, Haryana. Both Mauritius and the Seychelles, along with 20 other countries, are part of the programme.

India also carries a strong track record of providing humanitarian aid in response to any crisis in the region. India’s commitment as a ‘First Responder’ was at full display following the devastation caused by Cyclone Chido in December. Mauritian Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam acknowledged India’s rapid response in rescuing workers and providing supplies during crisis by elevating the relationship into an enhanced strategic partnership.

A net security provider

Maritime security in the Western Indian Ocean region (WIOR) has emerged as New Delhi’s strategic priority in recent years. In February 2024, India inaugurated a new airstrip and jetty at Agalega Island, Mauritius, reflecting its interest in security of the region. This infrastructure would help India enhance its maritime presence, leading to improved security in the region.

During Modi’s 2015 visit to Mauritius, he announced India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision. This time, India elevated its vision to MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions), underscoring the importance of the region for India, and its interest in playing the role of ‘net security provider’ in the region.

The Indian Navy has signed the white shipping agreements with 22 partner countries, and 17 are already operational. In 2023, India signed a similar white shipping agreement with the Seychelles.

With the Indian Navy signing the technical co-operation agreement on information exchange related to white shipping, Mauritius became the second country in the region that agreed to exchange information on the movement and identity of commercial non-military merchant vessels. The agreement includes real-time data sharing that would help enhance maritime security and ensure the safety of Mauritius’ trading corridors.

India also has observer status at the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), an intergovernmental body consisting of five littoral countries of the region (Madagascar, Comoros, La Réunion (French overseas territory), Mauritius, and the Seychelles) to protect the interests of the Western Indian Ocean islands.

The region has been a site of intense competition between powerful countries, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and China. The US has its naval base in Diego Garcia, overlooking the region. Till October, the UK held the sovereignty of the Chagos island, which now officially belongs to Mauritius. France maintains a notable presence in the region through its overseas territory, La Réunion.

Most importantly, China has a military base in the north of the WIOR, at Djibouti. In addition to China, Djibouti also hosts naval bases for the US, France, Japan, Italy, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). As both sides unveiled the ‘Joint Vision for an Enhanced Strategic Partnership’, India is set to deploy more ships and aircraft for joint maritime surveillance. Consequently, the maritime co-operation with Mauritius will go a long way in establishing India’s role as a ‘net security provider’ in the region.

(Samir Bhattacharya is Associate Fellow, the Observer Research Foundation, Delhi.)

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.