Sushma Swaraj, External Affairs Minister of India visited Mauritius on 2-3 June 2018, en route to the meeting of BRICS Foreign Ministers in South Africa, to oversee the preparations of the next, 11th World Hindi Conference, organized jointly by Government of India and the Government of Mauritius, and to be held in Mauritius from 18-20 August 2018. During the visit, External Affairs Minister had a dinner meeting with Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius on 2 June 2018, at which both sides reviewed preparations of and participation in the World Hindi Conference 2018.
In Mauritius, many people speak and understand Hindi and Bhojpuri due to their Indian descent. Mauritius is Hindu-majority nation and has close ties with India.
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Noting that India-Mauritius relations are based on age-old ties of kinship and culture, they emphasized the significance of protecting and promoting their own languages, traditions and culture. Hindi is a shared language and shared heritage of India and Mauritius, and the next World Hindi Conference will help further strengthen the bonds between the two countries. External Affairs Minister conveyed to the Prime Minister of Mauritius that people in India were looking forward to welcoming him at the next Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in January 2019 in Varanasi, to which he has been invited as Chief Guest. External Affairs Minister also thanked the Prime Minister of Mauritius for his constant personal guidance and support to all initiatives and activities aimed at further strengthening India-Mauritius bilateral cooperation.
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Accompanied by Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun, Minister of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research, Government of Mauritius, External Affairs Minister paid a site visit to the Swami Vivekananda International Convention Centre (SVICC), the main venue of the World Hindi Conference, on 3 June 2018. External Affairs Minister also visited the newly inaugurated building of the World Hindi Secretariat, Phoenix, where she was welcomed by a wide range of Mauritian Socio-cultural organizations and Hindi enthusiasts.
