PM: “No agreement with India for military base in Agalega”

Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth has claimed that there is “no agreement between Mauritius and India to set up military base in Agalega.” 

According to Le Mauricien, the statement by Jugnauth in Parliament came in reply to the Private Notice Question by the Leader of the Opposition Xavier Duval.

The latter, however, confronted him with an earlier claim that the development projects would be used “both for civil and military purposes.” 

Jugnauth argued, “just as in Mauritius, the archipelago’s port and airport should allow military planes and vessels to dock. It will be up to us to give authorization or not.” 

He added that the projects were “delisted” from Environment Impact Assessment rules. 

L’Express earlier reported that the Mauritius Government has kept the deal with India secret, but “several international press articles and satellite images confirm that there is a major military project in progress with an airstrip already spanning over half of the North Island.”

Video source: Lexpress.mu