India denies plans to land troops in Mauritius in 1983

PORT LOUIS: India today denied reports that late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had approved a top secret operation in 1983 for landing of Indian troops in Mauritius to help the island nation's then leader Anerood Jugnauth counter his radical rival.

"This is to clarify that the article is not based on facts," the High Commission of India in Port Louis said in a press release while referring to a media report.

According to a newspaper report, a top secret operation -- which remains highly classified to this day -- was conceived in 1983 with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's approval.

The plan was for the amphibious landing of troops from the 54th Division to help the Mauritian Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth fight off a challenge from his radical rival Paul Berenger which New Delhi feared might take the form of an attempted coup.

India's military plans also included the deployment of major naval assets including as many as six destroyers with Alouette helicopters and MK 42C Sea Kings for slithering operations, according to the first detailed account of the events by Australian academic David Brewster and the former Director, Naval Intelligence, Ranjit Rai, in the latest issue of the journal Asian Security, the report said.