In order to maintain its subsidized food program and replace supplies from Pakistan, Mauritius is eager to establish long-term agreements with India for the purchase of about 33,000 tons of rice, according to Takesh Luckho, chairman of the Mauritius State Trading Corporation.
During the global rice conference here, Luckho told reporters that after India banned non-basmati rice exports in 2023 in an effort to lower local costs, Pakistan emerged as a major exporter of rice.
India supplied the majority of Mauritius’ rice through long-term agreements.
However, Pakistan was able to enter the market after the Mauritian government was compelled to begin an open tendering process following the prohibition. Since India has lifted the prohibition, he claimed, they are now attempting to undo this. India’s main competitor in the global rice market is Pakistan.
“Though India supplied some rice through government-to-government deals even during the ban, this was not enough as the annual requirement of Mauritius works out to around 1,000 tonnes of basmati rice and 32,000 tonnes of non-basmati white rice.”
As part of its social welfare program, the island nation provides its citizens with non-basmati white rice at a discounted price.
Mauritius’s top trading partner is India, whose main exports include motor vehicles, cereals, cotton, and pharmaceuticals. Medical equipment, cast iron and aluminum waste and scrap, and other manufactured commodities are exported by Mauritius to India.
Due in part to the Double Taxation Avoidance Convention (DTAC), Mauritius is a significant source of foreign direct investment (FDI) for India. This has made it easier for Mauritius to invest heavily in India.
The first of its kind to be signed between India and an African country is the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) between Mauritius and India. It was put into force in 2021 with the intention of strengthening economic cooperation.
India has given Mauritius substantial development aid, with a focus on infrastructure, healthcare, and education. India sees Mauritius as a key economic gateway to Africa and a partner in its “Look Africa” program.
Additionally, the two nations have strengthened their strategic partnership, especially in fields like marine security.