First with any African country
Mauritius, Feb 23: India entered into a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) or free trade agreement (FTA) with Mauritius. External affairs minister S Jaishankar signed major trade and defence deals. This is the first time India has signed a FTA with any African country.
The purpose of this is to boost the economies of both the countries. The treaty will expand opportunities in areas of trade, goods and services, investment, economic cooperation, and technical assistance in Mauritius, and Indian investors will invest. The two countries also signed a $100 million Defence Line of Credit, to facilitate the procurement of Indian defence equipment.
India and Mauritius would provide preferential access to a number of items like surgical equipment, medicines, and textile products that would cater to market requirements on both sides.
