Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat and former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Sadaiv Atal during his ongoing eight-day visit to India.

Ramgoolam, who arrived in New Delhi on Monday night, was received at the airport by Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth. His visit reflects the deep cultural and civilizational bonds that connect India and Mauritius.

Before reaching the capital, the Mauritian leader and his wife, Veena Ramgoolam, undertook a spiritual journey across prominent Indian temples. On September 12, they visited the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya, becoming the second foreign head of state, after Bhutan’s Prime Minister, to worship at the newly built Ram Mandir. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath welcomed him with a ceremonial reception, complete with flowers, chanting of mantras, ‘Kalash-Aarti,’ and traditional music.

Ramgoolam and his wife performed aarti, offered prayers to Ram Lalla, and observed the progress of the temple’s construction. The following day, he also offered prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel. Later, he attended the iconic Ganga Aarti on the Varanasi ghats.

In a social media post, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal highlighted the symbolic nature of the visit, stating that Ramgoolam’s prayers at Kashi Vishwanath reflected the deep-rooted cultural and civilizational ties between India and Mauritius.

During his stay, Ramgoolam also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 11, where both leaders reviewed ongoing cooperation in diverse areas, including development partnerships, trade, and cultural exchanges.

His visit is expected to further strengthen bilateral ties and reaffirm Mauritius’ unique position as one of India’s closest partners in the Indian Ocean region.