Mauritius visit highlights India’s defence outreach to Africa as major powers vie for influence
Naval chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan is on a four-day official visit to Mauritius from August 10 to 13, 2026, as India steps up its outreach to key partners in the Indian Ocean Region. The visit by the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) comes at a time when New Delhi is looking to consolidate its maritime footprint in the region, with Mauritius emerging as one of the most trusted partners in this endeavour.During his stay, Admiral Swaminathan is scheduled to meet senior members of the Mauritian government and hold talks on issues ranging from maritime security to defence cooperation, capacity building and military-to-military collaboration. Officials say such high-level exchanges are meant to deepen operational ties between the two navies and reinforce what has been described as a robust strategic partnership between India and Mauritius.The bond between the two countries in the maritime domain is not new. The Indian Navy has for years worked closely with the Mauritius National Coast Guard, conducting joint training, carrying out Exclusive Economic Zone surveillance together, exchanging port calls and undertaking hydrographic surveys. Mauritius has also been a fixture at major Indian Navy platforms such as the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium, MILAN, the International Fleet Review, the Goa Maritime Conclave, IOS SAGAR and Exercise AIKEYME — engagements that officials say reflect the shared vision behind India’s MAHASAGAR initiative, which stands for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.That the newly appointed navy chose Mauritius among his early overseas engagements is being read as a signal of the importance New Delhi attaches to the relationship, one built on trust, mutual respect and a common interest in keeping the Indian Ocean stable and secure.Meanwhile, in a separate development highlighting India’s expanding defence diplomacy in Africa, an Indian Army marching contingent was flown in an IAF IL-76 aircraft to Abidjan to take part in the military parade marking Côte d’Ivoire’s 66th Independence Day on August 7. The parade, presided over by Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara, was attended by Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, along with heads of state from Guinea, Gabon and Benin and their respective contingents.The 60-member Indian contingent, drawn from the Regiment of Artillery and led by Major Sandeep Dhillon, marched at the invitation of the Ivorian government. The gesture comes barely 18 months after India opened a defence wing in Abidjan in January 2025, a period in which it has become one of Côte d’Ivoire’s leading military training partners, underlining New Delhi’s growing defence footprint across the African continent.
