ForumIAS announcing GS Foundation Program for UPSC CSE 2025-26 from 19 April. Click Here for more information.
ForumIAS Answer Writing Focus Group (AWFG) for Mains 2024 commencing from 24th June 2024. The Entrance Test for the program will be held on 28th April 2024 at 9 AM. To know more about the program visit: https://forumias.com/blog/awfg2024
About a small Mauritian island
Article:
- Political scientist Francois Verges and historian Vijay Prasad observes India’ s changing commitment to secure Indian ocean as a zone of peace
Important facts:
- Recently, a group of Mauritians island along with few formed the Islanders Coalition for Peace which calls for declaration of Indian Ocean as a zone of peace
- The concept of the zone of peace originated during the Non-Align Movement Summit in 1970.
- The Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace was adopted by UN General Assembly in 1971
- Designating Indian Ocean as Zone of Peace meant halting any expansion of military base, presence by great powers in the Indian Ocean region
- This acme in the backdrop of USA building major naval base on Diego Garcia islands which later became significant in the Vietnam War
- The declaration of zone of peace was much opposed by USA and France.
- Post Djibouti’s independence from France, La Reunion Island became a naval base for France
- In 2014, erstwhile Naval Security Adviser Ajit Doval also propagated the idea of Indian Ocean as zone of peace following Chinese interventions in the region.
- However, increasing Chinese presence and the the growing interests of other major powers (U.S., U.K., Russia, France and Japan) in the region, and the many Chinese infrastructure projects in Indian Ocean Region has brought change in India’s commitment towards a zone of peace
- China has a string of pearls of policy- It has built significant ties. Examples- Gawdar (Pakistan), Hambanota in (Sri Lanka), Kyaukpku (Mayanmar).
- This has given India an imperative to develop agreements with Australia (Cocos Island), France (La Reunion) and USA
- India’s nuclear armed ballistic missile submarine -Arihant will soon play in Indian Ocean.
- India’s agreement with Mauritius on setting up base in Agalegla island is extension of this plan
- India- Mauritius:
- Mauritius is the largest route for FDI in India- This is because multinational corporations take advantage of India-Mauritius Double Taxation Avoidance Treaty and the lax tax regime to avoid paying taxes.
- However, Mauritius has signed an amendment treaty and by 2019 it will lose its status of being the largest route for FDI in India
- In 2015, India and Mauritius signed an agreement that allows India to develop infrastructure on the islands
16. Author advised India to move back to its commitment to make Indian Ocean as Zone of Peace.
