The foreign policy concept put forward by Indian Prime Minister N. Modi — aimed at the comprehensive development of relations with close and traditionally friendly countries in the Indo-Pacific region — is beginning to yield positive results.
India and Mauritius Sign Enhanced Strategic Partnership Agreement
Let us begin with the small island nation of Mauritius, with which India has long maintained close and special relations, based on shared historical, cultural-spiritual, humanitarian and human ties. Indeed, it is arguably this country — where approximately 70 per cent of the 1.2 million-strong population are descendants of migrants from the southern and eastern states of the Indian Union — that constitutes a key part of the Indian government’s Act East policy and the SAGAR initiative (Security and Growth for All in the Region). It is no coincidence that Indian leaders pay regular visits to Mauritius. In 2024 alone, the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, and the country’s Foreign Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, visited the island. In March this year, Prime Minister N. Modi attended the National Day celebrations in Port Louis (12 March) as the guest of honour.
Notably, during his talks with the President of Mauritius, Dharambeer Gokhool, and Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam, the parties agreed on a new stage in their bilateral relations — a strategic partnership and cooperation. N. Modi once again affirmed that New Delhi supports the return of sovereign control to Mauritius over the Chagos Archipelago, located in the Indian Ocean, which currently hosts a US-UK naval base.
The unique nature of the very close relations between the two countries is reflected in the fact that India serves not only as a religious and spiritual centre for Mauritians but also as their leading political, trade, economic, investment and cultural partner — particularly in this Hindu-majority island nation.
According to the bilateral agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership signed in 2021, India is financing over 40 projects in Mauritius, covering a wide range of areas, including defence. Bilateral trade is also growing, currently standing at around USD 600 million, with Indian exports accounting for USD 500 million. Solid and longstanding ties also exist in the scientific, technological and cultural spheres. For both countries, strengthening their bilateral partnership remains a key foreign policy priority, as was reaffirmed by the latest successful visit of the Indian Prime Minister to Mauritius.
India and Thailand Elevate Their Relations to Strategic Partnership Level
Within the framework of India’s Act East policy, Prime Minister N. Modi’s participation in the sixth summit of BIMSTEC member states — held in Bangkok from 2 to 4 April — should also be considered. This initiative promotes multi-sectoral technical and economic cooperation in the Bay of Bengal. In addition to India, the forum’s participants include Thailand, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar and Bhutan. At the conclusion of the summit, a joint declaration was adopted and several agreements were signed on trade, maritime cooperation, science and technology, cultural exchange, and strengthening regional security among these South and Southeast Asian states.
Special attention at the forum was given to the implementation of a previously agreed joint infrastructure project — the construction of a 1,300-kilometre highway starting in northeast India and passing through Myanmar and Thailand. On the sidelines of the forum, N. Modi held one-on-one meetings with the leaders of all participating states, with particular focus on discussions with the Thai leadership. Following the talks between the two countries’ heads of government, a joint declaration on strategic partnership was signed, along with six memoranda of understanding covering key areas such as defence, digital technology, small and medium enterprise development, handloom and handicrafts, as well as science, education and culture. New milestones have been set for enhancing bilateral trade — India is Thailand’s largest trading partner in South Asia, with trade volume exceeding USD 17 billion.
New Delhi Advocates Constructive and Mutually Beneficial Relations with Bangladesh
A notable event was the first meeting between the Indian Prime Minister and Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus since the de facto coup in the summer of last year. However, this contact did not lead to a reduction in tensions between the two countries, following the unrest and demonstrations in Bangladesh during the summer of 2024, which resulted in the flight to India of Sheikh Hasina, then Prime Minister of this historically close neighbour of India. New Delhi remains concerned about the situation of the Hindu minority in Bangladesh and the overall deterioration of bilateral relations. In the past, under the leadership of Mujibur Rahman and his daughter Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh was one of India’s closest partners.
India Restructures Sri Lanka’s Debt
Following his participation in the BIMSTEC summit, Narendra Modi paid a state visit to Sri Lanka on 4 April. This country remains under New Delhi’s close guardianship, with India traditionally providing a broad range of assistance — including military, financial and investment support. Between 2022 and 2024 alone, India provided Sri Lanka with USD 5 billion in financial aid.
Following the visit to New Delhi in December last year by Sri Lanka’s newly elected President, A. K. Dissanayake, a new high-level meeting in Colombo further contributed to the strengthening of bilateral cooperation and India’s overall position in this traditionally close country. Modi’s visit was accompanied by a ceremony in which he was awarded Sri Lanka’s highest civilian honour. During the talks, the two sides agreed on the restructuring of Sri Lanka’s debt and a reduction in interest rates — measures that were warmly welcomed by the Sri Lankan population.
Taking into account Sri Lanka’s difficult financial situation, India pledged additional support across various sectors of the economy. The heads of state also took part in the groundbreaking ceremony for a 120-megawatt solar power plant. At the conclusion of the visit, several agreements were signed, including in the fields of energy and defence.
It is worth noting that Indians are rather sensitive to the active penetration of Chinese capital into Sri Lanka’s economy, particularly its involvement in financing several infrastructure projects, the largest of which is the construction of an oil refinery worth nearly USD 4 billion. India continues to claim a leading role in the country and seeks to orient Sri Lanka’s leaders toward recognising its special place in the nation’s life. The Sri Lankans understand this dynamic and make efforts not to upset their powerful and traditionally dominant neighbour. In any case, the latest bilateral summit in Colombo clarified the situation, and the Indian side was evidently pleased with the results of the meeting.
The concrete foreign policy steps taken by the Indian government, including those under the Act East policy, confirm New Delhi’s determined commitment to strengthening cooperation in the region, with the aim of expanding its presence and influence — primarily as a counterbalance to the active efforts of Chinese diplomacy. Credit must be given to the Indian leadership for these effective and persistent actions, which are steadily enhancing the stature and global profile of a country that has now truly become not only an Asian, but a global power.
Anvar Azimov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, PhD in History, Senior Research Fellow at the Eurasian Studies Institute of MGIMO
