Kumaresan Ilango, dubbed “Mr. Moustache” by former CEO of Mauritius Telecom, Sherry Singh, in the Baie-du-Jacotet “sniffing” affair, is no longer the National Security Advisor attached to the Prime Minister’s Office.
While Kumaresan Ilango was a high-ranking officer of India’s external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), this time India has delegated another former senior intelligence officer who has also served at a high level within RAW.
Vivek Johri now becomes the primary point of contact for all “counter-terrorism matters” concerning Mauritius and will work closely with Indian intelligence services and the Mauritian Prime Minister, Pravind Jugnauth.
Indian authorities regard Vivek Johri as someone with extensive experience in managing complex issues and situations.
In late July 2019, Vivek Johri was appointed as the Director-General of the Border Security Force (BSF). The BSF is considered the first line of defense for Indian territories and monitors the borders between India and Pakistan as well as India and Bangladesh.
Prior to this assignment, Vivek Johri served as the Special Secretary of RAW.
Traditionally, it is India that recommends a person to fill the NSA position in Mauritius. This recommendation is often followed, although there have been a few exceptions, such as the appointment of Mauritian Deepak Bhookhun, former Commissioner of Prisons, to this position from 2000 to 2003.
During a parliamentary session on July 19, in response to a question from MMM MP Reza Uteem why an Indian was appointed to this position, Jugnauth had responded, “Why not appoint an Indian as the National Security Advisor? What do you have against India?” Pravind Jugnauth had accused Reza Uteem of “India bashing,” a claim Uteem denied.
Since the 1980s, specifically 1983, about twenty Indian nationals have held the position of National Security Advisor in Mauritius, most of them being current or former RAW executives.
Source: Defi Media
