The Hindu Business Line : India, Mauritius sign preferential trade pact

The Prime Minister of Mauritius, Mr Navinchandra Ramgoolam (2nd from left), with (from left) the Vestas RRB Indian Ltd Managing Director, Mr Rakesh Bakshi; the Assocham President, Mr Anil K. Agarwal; and the President (Corporate) Lupin Ltd, Mr Harish Narula, at a meeting with Indian businessmen in the Capital on Monday. - Kamal Narang

New Delhi , Oct. 24

INDIA and Mauritius today signed a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) to help increase the island nation's exports to India and provide India with the opportunity to tap into African markets.

The agreement was signed by officials of the two countries in the presence of Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh and the Mauritius Prime Minister, Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam.

Six other agreements were also signed covering areas such as legal assistance, hydrography, and public administration among others.

Earlier in the day, Dr Ramgoolam invited private Indian airlines to fly to Mauritius.

The Mauritius Prime Minister said that his Government would soon implement the open skies policy and increase the number of airlines flying to Mauritius.

"Open sky policy will be applied now. Air India is already coming to Mauritius. We will allow other airlines also to fly in to Mauritius and move ahead to Johannesburg, along with Air India," Dr Ramgoolam said at a business meeting here held by industry chambers CII, FICCI and Assocham.

While talking to presspersons on the sidelines of the meeting, he said that his country would also provide incentives to the Indian film industry for shooting films in Mauritius. He emphasised his Government's intention to promote the entertainment sector by making the investment climate more conducive.

Dr Ramgoolam said that his Government had identified eight industries for development in the short and medium term. These included information and communication technology, agro industries for the production of ethanol and other sugar cane products, tourism and leisure, financial services, pharmaceuticals and health services, seafood, warehousing, processing and exports, with emphasis on setting up centres of educational excellence and supply chain management for re-export trade to Africa and the rest of the world.

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