THE vibrant Indian diaspora in Mauritius is a “shining example” of the Indian values such as peace, pluralism and shared progress and universal brotherhood, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said during his address to the community here. Jaishankar arrived here in India’s strategically key maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean region on Sunday night from the Maldives on the last leg of his two-nation tour. On Wednesday, Jaishankar visited the Ganga Talao, considered to be the most sacred Hindu place in Mauritius, and offered prayers at the temple.

 

“Offered prayers at the holy Ganga Talao this morning. Grateful to Foreign Minister Alan Ganoo, Culture Minister Avinash Teeluck and Agriculture Minister Maneesh Gobin for joining me,” he said in a tweet. The minister met the members of the Indian community during an event on Tuesday and thanked them for keeping the faith and fervour alive in Mauritius. “Feels like homecoming. Thank the vibrant Indian community for keeping our faith & fervour alive in Mauritius. A shining example of all that India stands for – peace, pluralism, shared progress & universal brotherhood - values more relevant than ever today,” he tweeted.

 

“I have travelled to many countries in my long career as a diplomat and more recent incarnation as the External Affairs Minister, but I must tell you that visiting Mauritius is always different, it feels actually like a homecoming. “Every time I am here in your beautiful country, I realise how closely we are bound. To be amongst people like you, who continue to cherish and celebrate their Indian roots and traditions so vibrantly, this is actually a feeling which is very difficult to put in words,” Jaishankar said.