Port Louis hosts 9th Indian Ocean Conference as Jaishankar holds bilateral talks and INS Tarkash completes port call
Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius, served as the venue for the 9th Indian Ocean Conference in 2026, bringing together foreign ministers and senior officials from nations across the Indian Ocean rim to discuss regional security, trade and cooperation. India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar used the occasion to hold a series of bilateral meetings with counterparts from various countries on the sidelines of the gathering, reinforcing India’s role as the leading diplomatic power in the region. The conference came in the context of strengthened India-Mauritius ties, which had also been demonstrated earlier in the year when the Indian naval frigate INS Tarkash completed a formal port call at Port Louis.
🗳️ EAM Jaishankar holds bilateral meetings at 9th Indian Ocean Conference in Port Louis
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar represented India at the 9th Indian Ocean Conference held in Port Louis, Mauritius, engaging in a series of bilateral meetings with leaders and foreign ministers from countries across the Indian Ocean region on the sidelines of the conference, as reported by News on AIR, the official broadcasting service of the Government of India. The Indian Ocean Conference, which has been held periodically since its inception, brings together senior representatives from littoral states and island nations to discuss issues of shared concern including maritime security, trade connectivity, climate resilience and development cooperation. For Mauritius and its capital Port Louis, hosting the conference affirmed the island nation’s importance as a diplomatic crossroads in the Indian Ocean. Mauritius has a population in which people of Indian origin constitute a majority, making the island a natural focal point for India’s oceanic diplomacy. Jaishankar’s bilateral engagements at the conference are consistent with India’s active approach to Indian Ocean diplomacy, which has intensified in recent years in response to China’s expanding regional influence. The conference also provided an opportunity for India to engage with African nations that have coastlines on the Indian Ocean, deepening South-South relationships that have become central to India’s foreign policy. Port Louis’s Indian-heritage community, which spans multiple generations and includes those descended from indentured labourers who arrived in the 19th century, regarded the hosting of such a high-level gathering as a mark of international recognition for Mauritius. [2]
🤝 INS Tarkash stealth frigate completes port call at Port Louis, deepening India-Mauritius maritime ties
Indian Naval Ship Tarkash, a stealth frigate of the Indian Navy, completed a port call at Port Louis, Mauritius, departing on June 22, 2026, after carrying out a range of activities that deepened India’s naval relationship with the island nation, according to ANI. Port calls by Indian naval vessels to Mauritius have become a regular feature of India’s maritime engagement with the island, reflecting the close defence and security partnership between the two countries. India has provided Mauritius with maritime surveillance assets, training for the Mauritius Coast Guard, and infrastructural support for the Agalega island development project, which has strategic significance for monitoring the western Indian Ocean. INS Tarkash, as a stealth guided-missile frigate, represents a significant class of warship, and its visit to Port Louis was intended to signal India’s commitment to the security of partner nations in the Indian Ocean. During port calls, naval personnel typically participate in cultural exchanges, sports events and professional interaction with host nation counterparts, strengthening people-to-people bonds alongside formal military ties. For the Indo-Mauritian community in Port Louis, the arrival of an Indian warship in their harbour carries symbolic weight, connecting them to a homeland that continues to treat Mauritius as a close partner. The departure of INS Tarkash on June 22 followed the completion of scheduled activities and marked the conclusion of a successful bilateral naval engagement. [3]
Sources: [2] News On AIR · [3] ANI News