Amendment to law gives India major exemption to import hi-tech equipment

Mauritius has reportedly quietly amended a major regulation of the Information and Communication Technologies Act to offer a major exemption to India.

According to a document published by Defi Media, the amendment allows the High Commission of India in Mauritius to import computer or telecommunications equipment without going through the standard procedures usually imposed on other importers of such equipment through the ICTA (Information and Communication Technologies Act) and the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA).

The amendment by the Minister of ICT Deepak Balgobin, states that “these regulations do not apply to the Indian High Commission where it imports, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Mauritius, an ICT equipment pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding signed, on 11 March 2015, between the Government of the Republic of Mauritius and the Government of the Republic of India for the improvement of maritime and air transport facilities in Agalega”.

The agreement between India and Mauritius has been kept secret by the Mauritian government, despite several calls to make it public.

Despite the denials of PM Pravind Jugnauth, the Indian website “The Wire” earlier confirmed that India is modernising the “military infrastructure” of Agalega.

The Wire reported that due to its concern around the growing influence of China in the Indian Ocean, the Indian government has reinforced its strategic cooperation with Mauritius.

“After signing an agreement in 2015, India began upgrading military infrastructure on Agalega Island and extended a $100 million line of credit for defense equipment in 2021.”

This year, Mauritius was also admitted as a full member of the Colombo Security Conclave, a regional group for maritime security founded by India, the Maldives and Sri Lanka.