Baljinder Sharma, entrepreneur and writer : “More Indian presence in Africa means more importance for Mauritius”

An entrepreneur and author of India: An Imperfect View, Baljinder Sharma sees no connection between the Indian Prime Minister’s trip to the US and the announced visit to Mauritius later this month. From the outset, he states that geopolitics has evolved, citing the US stance regarding Russia. About the India-Mauritius links, Baljinder Sharma is of the view that more can be achieved in terms of trade and business.

Mid-February, Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, travelled to the US, being one of the first head of states to meet President Donald Trump. What’s the pertinence of such a visit?
We speak at a time when geopolitics is in a state of unprecedented flux. The US voting in favour of Russia against the UN resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has shocked the world.
Till recently, Narendra Modi was the only global leader who enjoyed the trust of all the warring parties. He would have played an important role in a settlement but given Donald Trump’s newfound love for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his urge to do a direct deal, Narendra Modi’s role may be reduced in the context of Ukraine. This is just to illustrate how seemingly distant, unrelated events impact the world of geopolitics and your role in it.

What I can gather from media is that people are at a loss to absorb how this new realignment of forces (with two traditional adversaries - US and Russia becoming friends) will change the world. What will happen to the non-aligned states like India, China and Brazil to the many client states that both Russia and America have cultivated since the end of World War II? And what would become of BRICS if Russia makes peace with the US?

The Indian Prime Minister is announced as the chief guest for Mauritius’ 57th independence anniversary celebrations in March. Should we conclude that Mauritius is of strategic importance to India, as essential as the US are to India? Why?
I don’t see how one can make any comparison between the US and Mauritius vis-a-vis India except for one thing – both countries have a powerful Indian diaspora. Narendra Modi’s visit to Mauritius in March, not long after his visit to the US can be seen by some as related, particularly in the context of some rumours that the Indian Prime Minister is assisting Mauritius in getting a sweetheart deal regarding the Chagos. 
I see no connection between his trip to Mauritius few weeks after his meeting with Trump. This could be a mere coincidence. I have often heard of India’s influence on politics in Mauritius and it makes me laugh because India has so many challenges of its own to deal with that it would be preposterous to believe that it has the bandwidth to indulge in other countries affairs.

There is a little doubt that Mauritius and India have come closer and closer in the last ten years. This is visible in the many projects that Indian government has supported and funded – from the Supreme Court to the Metro Express. Same is the case with UAE where the reverse has happened. It is the UAE that has invested massively in India. At the heart of any close relationship is the mutual benefit of both parties.
In Mauritius, Prime Minister Modi is perhaps the most popular leader after Indira Gandhi. His cult like following cannot be described in words. Obviously, like any human being he is not perfect but there is something exceptional in him that mesmerizes people.

There has been news, consistently, going back to 2019 when he was expected to come for the launch of Metro but those expected trips never materialized. Everyone seem to be happy now that he has finally decided to make it. Does that place Mauritius in a special category? I would agree. Is that a reason to equate US to Mauritius? The answer is probably in the negative.

Has India’s rise at the international stage helped Mauritius?
The answer is yes. In terms of trade, commerce and other economic activities, greater cooperation between India and Mauritius has resulted in a steady growth over the years reaching 650 million dollars in 2024. The balance of trade is, however, heavily tilted in favour of India, despite the coming into effect of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement- which took a lot of time and effort to negotiate. CECPA presents a huge opportunity for Mauritius – one that it has so far failed to realise.

Let’s focus on Narendra Modi. Does he want to play a much bigger role on the global scene? Why? And how will Mauritius be of any help in his strategy?
As the elected leader of the world’s largest democracy and the fastest growing large economy, Narendra Modi represents the aspirations of 1.4 billion – mostly youth. This requires him to actively engage with the outside world and constantly help shape it. India is too big a country to be left to the vagaries of international politics. From dealing with tariff wars, to securing defence equipment to embracing technological advancement, India needs a strong leadership that he represents. And that means that India gets “good deals” in the language of US President Donald Trump.

India was largely occupied with internal challenges for many decades since independence from Britain in 1947 that left little time to focus overseas. This has changed since 1990s when government realized that the country needs to be more integrated in the global economy and therefore the imperative to influence global events. Part of that initiative is to leverage the influence of Indian diaspora.

This is where Mauritius comes in. Across the world, People of Indian origin, control companies with roughly $1.3 trillion in annual revenues. It does help India to use its diaspora for its economic development, as much as for Mauritius to use its connection with India to further its own goals. Mauritius could, for instance, develop its port into a regional hub for transshipment for good flowing in and out of Africa. Let us not forget that 90% of global trade still happens through the sea and there is a vast wealth buried in the Mauritian coastal zone. The blue economy itself has the potential to add a few percentage points to the GDP – an area where India can help. 

More Indian presence in Africa means more importance for Mauritius. It is now up to Mauritius to define a strategic role for itself and engage with India as an enabler of its ambitions in Africa.

Is the visit of the Indian Prime Minister an opportunity to announce more additional funding? Should we be expecting additional loans, knowing that India has provided much more line of credit than any other country over the past decade?
Mauritius has no shortage of friendly countries offering loans. Often there is a competition. The question is whose funding it should accept and what are the conditions attached to it. Indeed, whether it needs it in the first place. India has produced several innovations in the last decade. The Digital Public Infrastructure is one such pioneering initiative that even western governments are keen to adopt.

The entire India Stack - of which DPI is a part, can help any government reduce operational costs drastically. It can also help improve public service deliveries in areas such as education, healthcare and benefit payments. Mauritian interests may be better served by seeking support on such digital innovations, which would in turn improve government efficiency, reduce costs and save taxpayers money. 

Do you see Mauritius as the unique geopolitical playground influenced by India/US/UK on one side and China in the other side?
Small countries can exercise huge geopolitical influence if they choose to. Singapore is one case in point but so is Luxembourg and UAE. The one good thing that Mauritius has been able to do is to maintain its neutrality despite the visible influence of India. India’s influence on Mauritius is fundamentally benign given India is open, democratic and respects international law. So irrespective of the huge difference in size and population, it is one democracy dealing with another on a platform of mutual respect and recognition. Unlike the underhand dealings of many countries, the actions of Indian government overseas are closely scrutinized by the parliament and an unforgivingly aggressive press.

The choice between the two blocks - India/US/UK on one hand and China on the other should be quite unambiguous. It is a question of values ultimately - to side with a democracy over an autocracy.