PM Narendra Modi arrives in Mauritius

PORT LOUIS (MAURITIUS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today arrived in Mauritius from Seychelles on the second leg of his three-nation tour that will also take him to Sri Lanka.

Modi will meet Mauritius President Rajkeswur Purryag and Premier Anerood Jugnauth in the Mauritian capital Port Louis later today.

Jugnauth will host a state banquet for Modi this evening. Modi will be the Chief Guest at the Independence Day celebrations in Mauritius tomorrow - March 12 - a date which is special to all Indians because Mahatma Gandhi began his Dandi March on this day in 1930.

"My visit to Mauritius will aim to strengthen our age-old civilisational ties with 'Chhota Bharat'. I am honoured to be invited to address the National Assembly of Mauritius," Modi had said in a pre-departure statement in New Delhi yesterday.

Modi will participate in the joint commissioning of India-built Offshore Patrol Vessel Barracuda, and in the launch of construction works for the building of World Hindi Secretariat.

The prime minister will then visit Sri Lanka from March 13 on the last leg of his tour.

Modi will attend a second summit in a month's time with President Maithripala Sirisena since the Sri Lankan leader's visit to India last month.