The following is the Banquet Speech of the Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee here today:

“I extend to your Excellency, to Lady Jugnauth and to other members of the Mauritian delegation a very warm welcome. You come as an old friend who knows India well.

I am confident that this visit will add an abiding imprint on the fabric of the close relations between our two countries.

India and Mauritius are bound together by historic ties of kinship, reinforced by our commitment to democracy. More recently, our common struggle for national Independence again brought us together. It is exactly a century since Gandhiji visited Mauritius. Those fateful days marked the start of a process of political awakening.

The torch lit by him was later held & loft by the great some of Mauritius, prominent among whom were Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam and the Bissoondoyal brothers, Sookdeo and Basdeo. They symbolised the triumph of the human spirit over exploitation. The definition of nationhood scripted by these heroes continues to guide the Mauritian nation even today.

The spectacular economic strides made by Mauritius have also brought our two countries closer together. The second economic miracle which you propose to initiate will certainly cement our relationship further. Our cooperation is multi-faceted and mutually beneficial. Trade and investment have expanded.

But even our substantial economic cooperation is not commensurate with our profound political equation. There is much more to be done and it is my hope that our entrepreneurs will look to Mauritius as a bridge between India and Africa.

I am glad that we are jointly exploring new opportunities in Information Technology. In the next few days. Your Excellency will be visiting our Information Technology facilities to explore the possibility of cooperation in this sphere. This should open yet another new chapter in our relations.

Excellency, peace is a precondition for prosperity. Unfortunately rivalries exist in our region which are not of our making, endangering both peace and progress. The nations of the world are in the process of defining new international relationships in the knowledge that while history evolves, geography remains constant. But legacies of past mistrust tend to persist.

I would like to reiterate to Your Excellency that India remains acutely sensitive to the security concerns of Mauritius and stands ready to help to address them. We fully endorse your right to sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago.

With Mauritius now taking her place in the United Nations Security Council, I am confident that Your Excellency’s government will make a dynamic contribution to peace on both regional and global platforms.

The Indian diaspora today is visible in all continents. Our forefathers left the shores of their Indian motherland in search of a better tomorrow. They have since contributed enormously to the political, economic and social life of the countries of their adoption and citizenship.

Today, it is a matter of great pride for us that a descendant of one such Indian is amongst us as the distinguished Prime Minister of his country.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I invite you to raise a toast:

to the health of His Excellency the Prime Minister of Mauritius and Lady Jugnauth;

to the well-being and prosperity of the people of Mauritius; and

to the friendship between India and Mauritius.