Today's Editorial

With Mauritius joining project, India’s rising power in the Indian Ocean

Relevance: GS Paper II

Why in News?

The Prime Minister of India and his Mauritius counterpart virtually launched key development projects at the Agalega island, Mauritius.

Background of Agalega:

• This atoll, located 684 miles (1,122 km), western Indian ocean, northeast of mainland Mauritius was once a slave plantation colony.
• The 12 km-long and 2 km-wide northern island has a small airstrip which used to be occasionally visited by Coast Guard planes and helicopters.
• The Mauritius government used to dispatch a shipload of essential commodities to Agalega for less than 300 inhabitants, almost all Creoles, only once in three months.
• No medical or educational facility existed for the people living there.

Initiation of development:

• The prime ministers of India and Mauritius announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2015 to develop this atoll.
• The two prime ministers announced that the 800-metre long airstrip, capable of landing light aircraft, will be developed into a full-length airfield that can receive larger planes.
• They insisted that the objective was about “setting up and upgradation of infrastructure for improving sea and air connectivity at the Outer Island of Mauritius which will go a long way in ameliorating the condition of the inhabitants of this remote island.”
• Earlier this week the opening of the upgraded 3-km-long airstrip that can handle bigger aircraft, and a harbour that can anchor big ships was announced.
• Six civilian projects, including a medical facility and a school, were also inaugurated.

Speculation regarding India’s involvement:

• Some critics argued that the real objective of the Indian government was to build a military base. Some politicians in Mauritius too saw an opportunity to corner the prime minister of Mauritius.
• However, the Prime Minister of Mauritius stoutly defended his decision, insisting that the project was intended to enhance the capabilities of the government in managing far-flung islands.
• He also clarified that India would be allowed to utilise the facilities in Agalega subject to prior notification from the competent authorities of Mauritius.

Global Power Dynamics:

• The Indian Ocean region has emerged as the axis of global power.
• The US and the UK, with the Diego Garcia base, and France, with Reunion Island, are already active in the region.
• China, too, joined them, investing heavily in the region. It has built many assets in the Western Indian Ocean, such as the bases in Djibouti and Gwadar, and developed extensive influence over many leaders in Africa.
• For India, which depends on the Indian Ocean for almost 90% of its imports and exports, growing Chinese activities in the region are a considerable challenge.
• India has nurtured the ambition of rising as an influential blue-water power and also the voice of the Global South.

Strategic significance of the project:

• The initiative is aimed at fulfilling the larger geo-strategic objective of both India and Mauritius.
• Besides meeting the development objectives, the project will also significantly enhance the capabilities and capacities in marine surveillance and security.
• Agalega entered the list of ports in the western Indian ocean that provide strategic access to India — dubbed by some analysts as the “necklace of diamonds” — as against the “string of pearls” ports that provide access to the Chinese.
• India already has a naval air station in North Andaman called INS Kohassa, and another near Port Blair called INS Utkrosh, which provide enough depth for the country’s military to monitor the Eastern Indian Ocean thoroughly.
• With the maritime empowerment of Mauritius through the Agalega project, India can expect to get enough cooperation from that country, “a natural partner”, in monitoring important ocean lines in the Western Indian Ocean too, including the crucial Mozambique Channel.
• The project will try to resolve the traditional and non-traditional challenges in the Indian Ocean region.
• It will ensure security, prosperity and stability in the Indian Ocean Region.
• It will further complement in all areas like monitoring of Exclusive Economic Zone, joint patrolling, hydrography, and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief.
• Befitting its current stature as a major regional power, India wished to convey through the Agalega project that it too has arrived and is serious about its critical role as a net peace provider in the Indian Ocean region, and willing to brook no interference in managing it as a “zone of peace”.

Conclusion:

The development projects on Agalega atoll in the Western Indian Ocean are a significant milestone in India-Mauritius cooperation, highlighting the strategic importance of the Indian Ocean region in the evolving geopolitical landscape.

Related News: Mauritius Cabinet Approves DTAA Amendment for BEPS Compliance

Mains PYQ

Q. What do you understand by ‘The String of Pearls’? How does it impact India? Briefly outline the steps taken by India to counter this. (UPSC 2013)

Q. Project ‘Mausam’ is considered a unique foreign policy initiative of Indian government to improve relationship wit its neighbours. Does the project have a strategic dimension? Discuss (UPSC 2015)