 Honorable Ministers of State for the External Affairs Ministry of the Republic of India, His Excellency the Secretary to Cabinet and Head of Civil Service of the Republic of Mauritius, Honorable Foreign Secretary of the Republic of India, Her Excellency the High Commissioner of India, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my honor and privilege to welcome you all to today's event which is being held jointly through digital video conference between the Harilal Bagji Hall here in Portley and the office of the Prime Minister in Delhi. We have previously witnessed the inauguration of the Metro Express, the EMT hospital, and the new Supreme Court building through similar video conferencing. And today again, we have the honor of welcoming the Prime Ministers of both Mauritius and India to another event which attests to the strong and time-tested relations between Mauritius and India. At a time when every country is busy finding ways and means of fighting the COVID pandemic and its variants, India, led by Srinarendra Modiji, has lived up to the mantra of sub-Kassad, sub-Kavikas, sub-Kavishwas, coined by Srinarendra Modiji himself by reaching out and assisting all friendly developing countries. India's timeless shipments of vaccines to fight COVID helped save thousands of lives in Mauritius and elsewhere. It is said in the hit of the day that calamities are the touchstone on which true friendship is tested. Such a Mitra Ko Parakneke liye Vipattikaan Hikasauti Hoti Hain. And I must say that India has stood up by Mauritius at every moment in history when our country needed help. Today's function, the inauguration of 956 social housing units at Dagotia and Motaba, the laying of foundation stone of the civil service college at Redri and the solar PV form at Tamarin Falls in Orita is yet another example of the special ties that bind Mauritius and India. These projects are blessed with the personal leadership and commitment of Srinarendra Modiji. We are proud to welcome you virtually in our midst, sir. Before we proceed to inauguration by the two leaders, may I request the secretary to the cabinet and head of civil service as well as the high commissioner of India to Mauritius to come to stage for exchange of two agreements. The first is an agreement is a memorandum of understanding on high-impact community development projects extending Indian grant assistance for community projects in the field of education, health care, community development, women empowerment, disaster risk reduction, energy, et cetera, to the tune of $10 million amounting to about 400 million Mauritian rupees. The second agreement is a line of credit of $190 million for the metro project and other infrastructure projects. Thank you, Excellencies. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I now invite you to watch a short video presentation on the social housing units project under which 956 housing units have been constructed through a grant of $20 million and a line of credit of $25 million from the government of India. The two prime ministers will jointly inaugurate this in a short while. And the honorable prime minister also will hand over the keys of two houses symbolically. So let us first of all watch the video projection on this particular project. The first project being initiated with the help of the government of India is the Civil Service College. May I invite you to watch a video presentation on the state of the Arts Civil Service College, which will be constructed through a grant of $474 million US dollars amounting to 206 million Mauritian rupees from the government of India, and in which the government of Mauritius will inject an additional 190 million Mauritian rupees. The construction of the Civil Service College was signed during the state visit of the honorable prime minister, Praveen Jagannath, to India in 2017. The third project whose e-launching is being held today is a form project at Henrietta, solar form project, which will produce 14 gigawatt hour electricity annually. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, let us watch a short video presentation on this project, which is being financed from a line of credit of $500 million US dollars from the Exim Bank of India. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, we have just watched three video presentations of projects undertaken with a financial assistance provided from the by the government of India. I now invite Honorable Praveen Kumar Jagannath, prime minister of the Republic of Mauritius, to the stage for the joint unveiling of the e-plug of the social housing unit project together with Manin Yashwini Narendra Modiji, prime minister of the Republic of India. So I request both prime ministers to press the button. So I request the prime minister of the Republic of Mauritius and the prime minister of the Republic of India to remain on stage for the unveiling of the e-plug of the civil service college. And the third e-plug, that of the solar PV form project, will now be unveiled by Praveen Kumar Jagannath and Narendra Modiji simultaneously. Thank you, Excellencies, but may I request the prime minister of Mauritius to remain on stage for the handing over of keys to two beneficiaries of social housing units. First, to Mrs. Lalitha Devi. And the second to Mr. Jean-Luc Trippier. I now have the pleasure of inviting the prime minister of Mauritius, Honorable Praveen Kumar Jagannath, to deliver his address. Excellency, Narendra Modiji, prime minister of the Republic of India. Excellency, Dr. Subramanyam Jayashankar, external affairs minister of India. Horrible ministers of state of the external affairs ministry of India. Horrible ministers of the Republic of Mauritius. Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. Namaste. Shri Modiji, it is with immense pleasure and privilege that I welcome you to the virtual platform for the inauguration of the social housing units at Dagotir and Martaba. And the e-launch of the civil service college and the eight megawatt solar photovoltaic form project, which will contribute significantly to the development of Mauritius. At the outset, allow me to express my gratitude and that of the people of Mauritius to the government and people of India for the wide-ranging cooperation and technical and financial assistance provided to Mauritius over the years. We are so much delighted that our partnership and friendship have grown to new heights since you have become the prime minister of the Republic of India. Shri Modiji, the head he'll say. May I go? Or I'll key. So car. Cool. Then you have a dinner. Chai tea home. I would like to recall that this is the third time that we are having a virtual inauguration for projects launched with the assistance of the Indian government. In 2019, we jointly inaugurated the first phase of the Metro Express project and the new ENT hospital. And in 2020, the new Supreme Court building. Commercial operations of the Metro Express along the first segment of the rail corridor have been running since January 2020. The second and third phases of this flagship project of our two governments will be completed by the end of this year, and we are currently working on the fourth phase. The Metro Express has already proved its efficiency and gained popularity with the Mauritian public as a safe, fast, and green mode of transport. It is testimony to the vibrancy of the Mauritius India partnership, and we never cease to acknowledge that without the financial assistance of the government of India, this project would not have been implemented so fast. I have the privilege to inform you that to pay gratitude for India's support to the Metro Express project, my government has decided to name one of the major metro stations as Mahatma Gandhi Station. Likewise, the new ENT hospital is fully operational and provides state-of-the-art medical facilities to the people of Mauritius, being one of the foremost institutions used for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. The new Supreme Court is also fully functional in a more conducive environment. This modern infrastructure is equipped with adequate amenities and is enabling our judiciary to make the best use of innovative technologies for a more inclusive, effective, and efficient delivery of justice. Today, I am proud to say that this event demonstrates, once again, the very special and privileged relations between Mauritius and India. I would like to emphasize that, like the Metro Express, the implementation of these projects would not have been possible without the lines of credit and grants generously provided by the government of India. These, once again, illustrate the profound and continued commitment of India to the progress of Mauritius and the well-being of its people. India has always supported Mauritius for its progress. For this, the people of Mauritius will always be a part of India. Shri Modiji, adequate housing for families in various income groups is at the top of my government's agenda. We have pledged to alleviate the housing problem by building more houses and without losing sight on the need to provide other facilities, such as efficient transport services, linking people to jobs, schools, health, and other social amenities. The Dagotir and Martaba sites comprise 956 social housing units with all infrastructural and recreational facilities. This project has become a reality thanks to the generous grant of 20 million USD by the government of India and an additional sum of 25 million USD under the Indian line of credit. Moreover, with the setting up of the new social living development limited, we aim to build 12,000 housing units with all associated infrastructure, including social and recreational amenities which will facilitate the integration of the residents. Shri Modiji, the construction of the civil service college at Muka, is yet another testimony of the support of the government of India to enhance the skills of our human resources. Between 2015 and December 2021, the existing civil service college, Mauritius, has provided training to more than 50,000 public offices. The new college will allow us to step up our training program locally. I also wish to thank the government of India for the continued assistance provided to our citizens in capacity building in India. Thanks to the generous grant of 4.74 million USD by your government, we will implement the new civil service college project, which will cater for the training needs of the public sector at large, including state-owned enterprises, and also serve as regional center of excellence. The plan of the civil service college has been prepared by the Atal Bihari Bajpai Institute of Good Governance and Policy Analysis of India. This institution has also assisted in defining the training needs and strategy for the human resource development of the public sector in Mauritius. Trivodiji, the third project, concerns the setting up of an eight-megawatt solar photovoltaic farm at Tamarin Falls in Ajita. This is yet another key element in the promotion of our green energy initiative. The project comprises the design, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of a solar photovoltaic farm of eight-megawatt capacity, which, once operational, will generate about 14 gigawatt hours of electricity annually and will contribute towards the national objective of attaining 60% renewable energy mix by 2030. We are very much committed to the development of this green initiative, finance and a line of credit of $500 million USD from the Exim Bank of India through the SBM Mauritius Infrastructure Development Company Limited and the SIC Development Company. In addition, there was an exchange of agreement a few moments ago, which again indicates the willingness of both our countries to forge closer links between us. These agreements relate to a line of credit of 190 million USD for Metro Express and other infrastructure projects and a memorandum of understanding on small development projects. Besides providing financial support for large and medium scale development projects, your government is also contributing towards the implementation of small community projects. The 400 million Mauritian rupees put at our disposal generously would contribute significantly to economic and social development and improvement of public welfare. Shri Bodhiji, I was looking forward to meeting you in the context of the vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, which has been postponed due to the COVID pandemic, which is affecting the whole world. I sincerely wish we can meet in the very near future to further consolidate our partnership and friendship. Mauritius will celebrate the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between our two countries next year. We will, of course, commemorate this landmark event with all the symbolism that it deserves. Shri Bodhiji, considering our strong historical and cultural ties and given the special bonds of friendship between the people of Mauritius and India, it is a great honor for me to invite you to make an official visit to Mauritius in November or December of this year for the grand inauguration of the full Metro Express service from Port Viz to Cupid and Roselle to Régis. We look forward to be honored by your presence once again. Long live the friendship between Mauritius and India, Bharat Mataku Abhivadan Kertahu, Jai Hind, Jai Mauritius, Dhanyavad. Thank you, Honorable Prime Minister. Indeed, the ties that bind Mauritius to India are deep-rooted, longstanding, and time-tested. Behind our request, the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, Shree Narendra Modi, to deliver his address. Namaste. Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius, the Honorable Parveen Kumar Jagannath, Excellencies, Bharat ke sabhi, 130 crore people ki orse, Mauritius ke sabhi, Bhai bheno ko, Namaskar, Vanjo, aur Thaipusam, Kaavadi ki shun kaam nahi. At the outset, I wish to recall the stellar contribution of the late Shree Aniruddha Jagannath to strengthen India-Mauritius ties. He was a visionary leader who was widely respected in India upon his passing. We had declared a day of national mourning in India. And our parliament had also paid homage to him. It was our privilege to honor him with the Padma Bivision Award in 2020. Unfortunately, the pandemic did not permit us to schedule the award ceremony during his lifetime. But we were honored by the presence of Lady Sarojini Jagannath in November last year to accept the award. This is the first bilateral event between our countries after his sad demise. And so, even as we celebrate it, another milestone. In our shared development journey, I also wish to express my deepest condolence to his family and to all the people of Mauritius. Excellencies, India and Mauritius are united by history, ancestry, culture, language, and the shared waters of the Indian Ocean. Today, our robust development partnership has emerged as a key pillar of our close ties. Mauritius is a prime example of India's approach to development partnership, which is based on the needs and priorities of our partners and respect their sovereignty. Praveenji, I fondly remember inaugurating with you the Metro Express Project, the new ENT hospital, and the new Supreme Court building. I'm delighted to know about the Metro's popularity, crossing the 5.6 millionth passenger mark. We look forward to supporting the further extension of the Metro. Under the $190 million line of credit agreement exchange today, it is also a matter of satisfaction and pride for us that the new ENT hospital has been instrumental in competing with COVID-19. In fact, our cooperation during the COVID pandemic has been extremely, one can say, exemplary. Under our vaccine-mitry program, Mauritius was one of the first countries we were able to sign COVID vaccine to. I'm happy that today Mauritius is among the few countries in the world to have fully vaccinated three-fourths of its population. Mauritius is also integral to our approach to the Indian Ocean. It was in Mauritius during my 2015 visit that I had outlined India's maritime cooperation vision of SAGAR, security and growth for all in the region. I'm glad that our bilateral cooperation, including in maritime security, had translated this vision into action. Despite the constraints of COVID, we were able to hand over a donor FRAP on lease and complete the short exhibit of the Mauritius Coast Guard ship, Barracuda. The deployment of equipment experts that contain the Vakasio oil spill was another example of our cooperation. To protect our SAG maritime heritage, Excellencies, today's event again demonstrates our SAG commitment to improving the lives of our people. Premindji, I'm happy to join you on the completion of the social housing project. We are particularly glad to be associated with this important effort to provide affordable houses to the common people of Mauritius. We are also initiating today two other projects that are critical to nation-building, a state-of-the-art civil service college that will help in skilling government efforts for Mauritius, continue progress, and the eight megawatt solar PV farm project, which will help mitigate the climate changes that Mauritius faces as an island country. In India, too, we are focusing on innovative approaches to civil service capacity building under our mission, Karma Yogi. We would be happy to share our experiences with the new civil service college. As we launch the eight megawatt solar PV farm, I recall the one sun, one world, one grid initiative, which was launched on the side lane of the COP26 meeting in Glasgow last year. It is an idea that I had put forth at the first assembly of the International Solar Alliance. In October 2018, this initiative will not only reduce carbon footprints and energy costs, but also open a new avenue for cooperation between different countries and regions. I hope that India and Mauritius can together create a shining example of such cooperation in solar energy. The agreement on small development projects that we are exchanging today will deliver high-impact projects at the community level across Mauritius. In the coming days, we will begin work on several important projects, such as the renal transplant unit, the forensic science laboratory, the national library and archives, the Mauritius Police Academy, and many others. I would like to reiterate today that India will always continue to stand by Mauritius. In its development journey, I wish all our Mauritius brothers and sisters a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2022. Viva Lamite, Antralaan E. Maurice, Bharat and Mauritius Maitri Amarrahe, Viva Maurice, Dahin. Thank you very much. Namaskar. Thank you, Shri Narendra Modiji, for the unflinching support the government of India, and especially you, Samanenya Pradhan Mantriji, have been extending to the people of Mauritius in all walks of life. Indeed, your actions are guided by the spirit of Vasudeva Kutumbakam, which views the whole world as one family. Thank you again for having kindly accepted to grace this function with your presence, together with your delegation from India. With these words, ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for your participation in this important event. Namaskar. Thank you. Dhaniawar.