India, Mauritius Explore Stronger Cooperation in Public Service and Capacity Building

NEW DELHI, Aug 24: India and Mauritius have discussed expanding cooperation in public administration, civil servant training and institutional capacity building, with both sides stressing the need for stronger partnerships and greater exchange of expertise.

The issue was discussed during a meeting between Mauritius Minister of Public Service and Administrative Reforms Lutchmanah Raj Pentiah and Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh in New Delhi on Monday.

Pentiah, who was accompanied by a senior official delegation, held detailed discussions with Singh on strengthening institutional links between the two countries and broadening opportunities for professional training.

Singh said the existing engagement could be expanded through increased training opportunities, closer cooperation among public service institutions and greater sharing of India’s experience in governance, administrative reforms and technology-driven delivery of government services.

He underlined the longstanding relationship between India and Mauritius, describing their historical, cultural and people-to-people connections as a strong foundation for deeper cooperation in public administration.

The Union minister said India has consistently assisted Mauritius in strengthening the capabilities of its public servants. He added that the current engagement offers an opportunity to establish a more structured and lasting institutional partnership.

Singh also referred to an understanding reached during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Mauritius last year to train 500 Mauritian civil servants over a five-year period through the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG).

The first batch of Mauritian officials has already begun training in Mussoorie under the initiative. Singh said the programme could become the basis for sustained collaboration between the public services of India and Mauritius rather than remaining limited to individual training programmes.

A key area discussed during the meeting was strengthening institutional cooperation between the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation (ABVIPSI) in Mauritius and major Indian institutions involved in public administration and training.

These include the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) and Institute of Secretariat Training & Management (ISTM).

According to an official statement issued by the Personnel Ministry, potential areas of collaboration include joint development of training programmes, faculty development, exchange of professional expertise, exposure visits and sharing of training practices.

The two sides also considered developing joint case studies and undertaking research in areas relevant to public administration and governance.

Digital learning emerged as another important area of cooperation. Singh said the recently operationalised iGOT Karmayogi Mauritius platform could provide a strong base for continuous learning and professional development among Mauritian public servants.

Indian and Mauritian institutions could jointly develop learning pathways, curate relevant content and incorporate local governance experiences and case studies into training resources tailored to Mauritius, the statement said.

The discussions also looked beyond conventional civil service training towards broader professional capacity development in emerging sectors.

Potential areas identified for future collaboration include the Blue Economy, ocean technologies, fisheries, desalination and sustainable development.

Pentiah welcomed India’s continued assistance to Mauritius and expressed interest in further expanding institutional cooperation.

The meeting concluded with both sides reaffirming their commitment to strengthening public administration partnerships through sustained training, institutional exchanges and knowledge sharing.

The proposed initiatives are expected to provide a broader framework for India-Mauritius public service cooperation while supporting the development of professional capabilities and governance practices in both countries.