New Delhi, Nov 3 Mauritius is keen to strike long-term deals with India for the import of around 33,000 tonnes of rice to keep its subsidised food programme running and to replace supplies from Pakistan, Mauritius State Trading Corporation Chairman Takesh Luckho said.
Speaking on the margins of the global rice conference here, Luckho told journalists that Pakistan became a significant rice supplier after India banned non-basmati rice exports in 2023 to bring down prices in the domestic market.
Most of the rice to Mauritius was supplied by India through long-term deals.
However, after the ban, the Mauritian government was forced to start a process of open tendering, which enabled Pakistan to enter the market. He said that they are now seeking to reverse this as India has lifted the ban. Pakistan is India's major rival in the world rice market.
"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."
The island nation supplies non-basmati white rice at a subsidised price to its people as part of its social welfare scheme.
India is a leading trading partner for Mauritius, with key Indian exports being pharmaceuticals, cereals, cotton, and motor vehicles. Mauritius exports medical devices, waste and scrap of cast iron and aluminium, and other manufactured goods to India.
Mauritius is a major source of foreign direct investment (FDI) for India, partly due to the Double Taxation Avoidance Convention (DTAC). This has facilitated significant investment from Mauritius into India.
The India-Mauritius Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) is the first of its kind that India has signed with an African nation. It came into effect in 2021 and aims to further enhance economic cooperation.
India views Mauritius as an important economic gateway to Africa and a partner for its "Look Africa" policy and has provided significant development assistance to Mauritius, focusing on areas like healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
The two countries have also enhanced strategic cooperation, particularly in areas like maritime security.
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