1

( REGULAR REPORTING PROFORMA FOR COMMERCIAL WINGS)

REPORT FOR DATE …01/07/2015….TO DATE…30/09/2015.

HIGH COMMISSION OF INDIA,

PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS

1. Trends in Bilateral trade and investment for the period (1st Semester – Jan - Jun 2015 )

(i) Bilateral Trade

(US$ million)

Export Import Total Growth % of

Export

Growth % of

Import

Country’s Trade

with India

10 463 473 +29.88 -15.19

Country’s Total

Global Trade

1312 2440 3752 +14.91 +5.44

(Source: Statistics Mauritius)

(ii) Top 10 items of Import from India

(US$ million)

S.No. Commodity Period Percentage

Growth (%)

% Share in

total Import

from India to

Mauritius

I Gas oils

Q₂ 2015

-37.4 16.8

2. Jet fuel -10.6 16.4

3. Fuel oils - Other -42.3 12.3

4. Motor spirits -9.9 11.4

5. Marine Residual Fuel Oil for

bunkering

-* 6.9

6. Medicines

(Medicament nes not contg

antibiotic/harmone/alkaloid/vitamin)

17.4 3.5

7. Semi milled or wholly milled

basmati rice whether or not

polished.

27.9 3.5

8. Butanes, liquefied -* 1.5

9. Frozen boneless bovine meat 89.6 1.3

10. Combed single cotton yarn, with

>=85% cotton, nprs, <=14mn

87.2 1.2

*As Statistics Mauritius have introduced a new HS Code for these items from this year, figures are not available for % changes.

(iii) Top 10 items of Import from the World

2

(US $ million)

S.No. Commodity Period Percentage

Growth (%)

% Share in

total

Imports

from the

World

1. Telephones for Cellular networks or

for Other wireless networks

Q₂ 2015

220.8 8.4

2. Gas oils -34.7 3.3

3. Jet fuel -10.6 3.3

4. Fuel oils - Other -* 2.5

5. Motor spirits -9.9 2.3

6. Non-industrial diamond

unworked/simply

sawn,cleaved/bruted,not mounted/se

325.2 2.2

7. Medicines

(Medicament nes not contg

antibiotic/harmone/alkaloid/vitamin)

258.0 2.1

8. Marine Residual Fuel Oil for

bunkering (RMG 380 – 700 or

RMK 380 – 700) as per ISO 8217

Fuel Standard, Fifth Edition 2012

-* 1.7

9. Coal,excl anthracite & bituminous,

pulverised or not, but not

agglomerate

1.8 1.4

10. Frozen yellowfin tunas excl. fillets,

livers and roes

99.2 1.4

*As Statistics Mauritius have introduced a new HS Code for these items from this year, figures are not available for % changes.

(iv) Top 10 items of Exports to India

S.No. Commodity Period Percentage

Growth (%)

% Share in

total Export

1. Medicines

(Medicament nes not contg

antibiotic/harmone/alkaloid/vitamin).

Q₂ 2015

6572.9 30.9

2. Tubular metal needle/needle for

suture/medical,surgical/dental

sciences

4.5 15.7

3. Waste and scrap of cast iron 28.8 14.2

4. Aluminium waste or scrap 25.6 6.5

5. Instruments and apparatus for

medical/surgical sciences excl

901811-50

-66.4 4.0

6. Toothfish (Dissostichus spp.) -* 3.5

7. Needles (excl tubular metal or for

sutures) catherers,cannulae,etc,

327.1 3.0

8. Containers for compressed or

liquefied gas, of iron or steel

57.6 2.7

3

9. Instruments/apparatus to measure or

check variables of liquids or gases

-* 2.6

10. Waste/scrap of paper/ paperboard

nes excl 470710-30, incl unsorted

15.5 2.5

*As Statistics Mauritius have introduced a new HS Code for these items from this year, figures are not available for % changes.

(v) Top 10 items of Exports to the World

(US $million)

S.No. Commodity Period Percentage

Growth (%)

% Share in total

Export

1. Telephones for Cellular

networks or for Other

wireless networks

Q₂ 2015

71.8 9.4

2. White Sugar -19.7 7.8

3. Other men's or boys shirts

of cotton

18.3 6.0

4. Other fillets 0.7 5.9

5. T-shirts, singlets and

other vests, of cotton,

knitted or crocheted

4.2 5.5

6. Non-industrial diamond

worked, but not mounted

or set

26.3 4.4

7. T-shirt,singlet & other

vest of other textile excl

cotton,knittted/croche

8.2 4.2

8. Men/boy trouser

breech&short of cotton

not knitted/crocheted

23.1 4.0

9. Tunas, skipjack and

atlantic bonito, whole or

in pieces but not minced

in vegetable oils

12.6 3.5

10. Other Cane Sugar 10.2 2.5 (Source: Statistics Mauritius)

(vi) Top 5 competitors of India’s top 5 exports

S.No. Commodity (including HS codes) Competitors

1. Gas Oils (27101950) South Africa, Bahrain, Singapore,

France

2. Fuel Oils (27101960) France

3. Medicines (30049000) France, South Africa, United

Kingdom, Switzerland and Turkey

4. Semi milled or wholly milled basmati rice

(10063010)

Pakistan, Thailand

4

5. Combed single cotton yarn (52052200) Thailand, Indonesia

6. Frozen boneless bovine meat (02023000) Australia, Brazil

(vii) Potential products of exports for India

India can look at the possibility of export of electric buses as it is under the consideration of the local

government within the framework of the Mauritius Sustainable Island concept.

Jute Bags/Jute based products can also be possible/potential products for Indian exports as plastic

bags are going to be phased out (by 1 Jan 2016)

Industry leaders in the Gems and Jewellery sector can explore the possibility of foraying into the

local market.

Technology transfer of Zero Budget Natural Farming techniques which is quite popular in India.

(viii) Bilateral Investment (Source:_Bank of Mauritius)

Foreign Direct Investment from/to India: 2007 to 2015

(Excluding GBC1s)

(US$ Mn.)

Year

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

2013 2014 1st

Semester

2015

Indian FDI

in Mauritius

19 67 10 94 17 23 2.5 4.8 1.47

Mauritian

FDI in India

1 1 0 33 2 10 0.1 - 0.2

(Source: Bank of Mauritius)

(ix) Global Investment (Source: Bank of Mauritius)

Excluding GBC1s transactions, provisional estimates for the first semester of 2015 indicate that gross

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows in Mauritius stood at Rs4,760 million (138 US$ Mn) , of which,

Rs51 million (1.47 US$ Mn) originated from India. Investment was mainly directed to the “Real estate

activities” sector (Rs4,006 million – 116 US$ Mn), of which the IRS/RES/IHS accounted for Rs3,324

million (96.38 US$ Mn), the “Accommodation and food service activities” sector (Rs456 million – 13.22

US$ Mn) and the “Financial and insurance activities” sector (Rs126 million – 3.65 US$ Mn). The main

sources of FDI inflows were France followed by South Africa. Outward direct investment is estimated at

Rs978 million (28.35 US$ Mn) for the first six months of 2015 (RS9 million – 0.2 US$ Mn towards

5

India) with significant investment channelled to the “Financial and insurance activities” sector (Rs720

million – 20.87 US$ Mn).

(x) Significant Trends in trade and investment (Sources: _Statistics Mauritius)

S.No. Details of significant trends Analysis

1. Exports: Total exports for Q₂ 2015 amounted to

MUR 25,863 million – 749.93 US$ Mn, 5.3%

more compared to the corresponding quarter

of 2014, mostly explained by a rise of 78.6% in

the re-exports of “Telecommunication equipment

and accessories”. Exports of Export Oriented

Enterprises (EOE) rose by 3.5% to R 13,553

million. Exports to Mauritius main buyers rose

for U.A.E (+88.7%), United Kingdom (+24.4%),

U.S.A (+14.6%), but declined for France (-

14.4%).

Compared to the previous

quarter, total exports for the

Q₂ 2015 rose by 12.5%,

mainly as a result of an

increase of 21.0% in exports of

EOE following increases in

“Articles of wearing apparel

and clothing accessories”

(+28.7%) and “Pearls, precious

& semi-precious stones”

(+38.1%). Increases were

registered in exports to the

following main markets: United

Kingdom (+33.3%), U.S.A

(+31.6%), France (+28.4%) and

South Africa (+10.3%).

2. Imports: Total imports rose by 2.2% from R

41,912 million- 1215 US$ Mn in the Q₂ 2014 to

R 42,853 million – 1242 US$ Mn in the Q₂ 2015. However, imports of “Refined petroleum

products” decreased by 16.3% during the same

period. Imports from main suppliers:

Increased Imports -China (+9.4%) and South

Africa (+2.9%) ; Decrease: France (-14.7%) and

India (-7.6%).

Compared to the previous

quarter, imports increased by

10.2%, mainly due to higher

imports of “Miscellaneous

manufactured articles”

(+24.0%), “Manufactured

goods classified chiefly by

material” (+16.0), “Mineral

fuels, lubricants and related

products” (+10.4%) and “Food

and live animals” (+8.5%).

Imports from Mauritius main

suppliers rose as follows: India

(+23.1%), France (+17.1%),

South Africa (+11.6%) and

China (+4.8%).

2. Important India related statements of commercial significance by political leaders, think

tanks, chambers, associations etc:

July 2015

Mrs. Shanti Bai (Maya) Hanoomanjee, Hon'ble Speaker of the National Assembly of Mauritius,

headed a Mauritian Parliamentary Delegation to New Delhi on 30 July 2015.

6

August 2015

The Hon. Charles Gaëtan Xavier-Luc DUVAL, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism

and External Communications of Mauritius announced, that very soon, the Indian airline 'Jet

Airways' will come to Mauritius. A meeting between the governments of India and Mauritius will

take place in the coming days for negotiations according to a bilateral agreement with India. The

frequency of flights and the cities to be covered have not yet been revealed. Mauritius is very

interested, he said, in the coming of Jet Airways because this airline has an extensive network in

India.

Dr Mahesh Sharma, Honb'le Minister of State (IC) for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, visited

Mauritius from 21-22 August 2015 as Chief Guest for the Inauguration Ceremony of the Festival of

India in Mauritius (from 21 August to 1 November 2015) and the International Ramayana

Conference. The Hon’ble Minister called on H E the Rt. Hon. Sir Anerood Jugnauth, Prime Minister

of Mauritius, the Hon. Xavier Luc-Duval, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, and the

Hon. Santaram Baboo, Minister of Arts and Culture.

September 2015

The First Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Ministerial Blue Economy Conference on the theme

“Enhancing Blue Cooperation for Sustainable Development in the IORA Region” was held in

Mauritius from 2 to 3 September 2015. The participating Indian delegation comprised of Sh. Alok

Dimri, Dir (MER), Cpt. Iyer, OSD (IOR), Dr. M. Sudhakar, Scientist-G, Ministry of Earth Sciences,

and Capt. A.M. Surej, DG (Lighthouses and Lightships) representing the Ministry of Shipping.

The National Stock Exchange of India signed a Memoranda of Understanding on September 03 with

the local Ministry of Financial Services, Good Governance and Institutional Reforms, the Financial

Services Commission (Mauritius) and the Stock Exchange of Mauritius providing, among others, for

capacity development in the fields of surveillance, investigation, technology transfer and risk

management.

The Hon. Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun, Minister of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary

Education and Scientific Research, Republic of Mauritius, headed a Mauritian delegation to attend the

10th World Hindi Conference in Bhopal.

The Institution of Engineers of Mauritius signed a cooperation agreement with its Indian counterpart,

the Institution of Engineers of India, on September 11, relating to several aspects, namely promotion

of bilateral exchanges of expertise, the organization of seminars, of training programmes as well as

sharing of experiences acquired in the fields of national interest such as development of Smart Cities

or yet sustainable exploitation of marine resources in the context of Ocean Economy, one of the

development pillars of the Mauritian government.

Mr Pummy Ratna, a Scientist from Hyderabad, attended IEEE-RADIO conference at Mauritius from

21-24 September, 2015.

The Board of Investment (BOI) is reported to have conducted an investment promotion mission to

India from 21st to 25th September 2015. In this context, BOI participated in the NASSCOM BPM

Strategy Summit in Bangalore. One-to-One meetings with the Indian business community were also

scheduled in Bangalore and Hyderabad with a view strengthening collaboration with existing

associations.

7

A Mauritian delegation consisting of Hon. Prithvirajsing Roopun, Minister of Social Integration and

Economic Empowerment, Republic of Mauritius and Mr Boyramboli Bojrazsingh, Permanent

Secretary in the Ministry visited the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj

(NIRD&PR) in the Nalgonda district of Telangana State in the month of September to get

familiarised with the various initiatives for rural development and economic development of

vulnerable groups in India.

3. Market access:

a. Alerts on tariff changes, non tariff barriers (SPS/TBT measures, import

and export procedures/restrictions/ prohibitions/ licencing etc),; trade

policy developments: S.No. Notification no. and

date or other

references

Details (including HS

codes)

Effective from

1. The Ministry of

Industry, Commerce

and Consumer

Protection vide its

Consumer Protection

(Control of Imports)

(Amendment No.4)

Regulations 2015

Importers of certain types

of plastic bags will

require the prior

obtention of an import

permitfrom this Ministry.

The importers will have

to submit a certificate of

registration and clearance

from the Director of

Environment, Ministry of

Environment and

Sustainable

Development, Disaster

Management and Beach

Management.

10 September 2015.

It may be accessed on the

website of the Ministry

(www.commerce.govmu.org)

2. As per the

communique of the

local Ministry of

Environment,

Sustainable

Development, and

Disaster and Beach

Management

The ban on the

manufacture, import, sale

and supply of plastic

bags will be in force as

from 1 January 2016 as

announced in 2015-2016

Budget Speech.

1 January 2016

Trade Policy Developments:

1. The Mauritius

Employers Federation

(MEF) merged with

the Joint Economic

Council (JEC) to

become Business

Mauritius, making it

the supreme body of

the local private

sector.

2. “High Powered The five-year economic

8

Committee on

Achieving the Second

Economic Miracle and

Vision 2030”, was

officially launched by

the Prime Minister Sir

Anerood Jugnauth on

22 August 2015 at

Ebène.

plan aims to propel

Mauritius to high-income

status. The plan

envisages the creation of

100,000 new jobs over

the next five years,

particularly in financial

services, information and

communication

technology (ICT),

tourism and ocean

economy (which includes

ports and seafood

processing). To realise

this the government plans

to invest MRs75bn

(US$2.1bn) over the next

five years, especially in

so-called smart cities and

the ICT sector, but also

in road decongestion,

electricity and water

supply, and port

infrastructure. A large

onus is also placed on

private businesses.

3. Following Vision

2030 Economic

Mission Statement,

the Prime Minister

convened the first

session of the Joint

Public-Private Sector

Steering Committee

on 9th September

2015.

Representatives of the

private sector were given

the opportunity to

communicate their

expectations relating to

the collaboration and

synergy to be developed

between Government and

the private sector, more

specifically with regard

to their involvement

towards the prompt

implementation of the

Government’s vision.

Cabinet has decided that

each Ministry should set

up Fast Track

Committees for the early

processing and issue of

licences and permits in

order to expedite the

implementation of

investment projects and

9

further enhance

investment.

4. Mr E. Sinatambou,

Minister of Foreign

Affairs, Regional

Integration and

International Trade, of

Mauritius, officially

launched the Trade

Obstacles Alert

Mechanism (TOAM)

on 10 September.

The TOAM has been

developed with technical

and financial assistance

from the International

Trade Centre and will be

operated by using the

existing Mauritius Trade

Portal. Its objective is to

identify and eliminate

trade barriers, enhance

transparency in the

decision making process

and improve public and

private sector dialogue.

5. It was reported that

the Mauritius Post and

Cooperative Bank Ltd.

and the National

Commercial Bank

Ltd. had been merged,

and a wholly

Government-owned

company under the

name of MauBank

Holdings Ltd has been

incorporated. The

new bank will, among

others, comprise a

dedicated strong SME

Banking Department

that will ensure that

projects submitted by

SMEs are well-

prepared, bankable

and successful.

6. The Government e-

Procurement System

(e-PS), which is a web

based application

enabling all public

bodies and suppliers

to electronically

conduct procurement

proceedings from

invitation to bid up to

contract award, was

launched on

10

September 28.

b. Alerts on Trade Defense Measures taken by respective country:

(Safeguards including special safeguard, antidumping , CVD or Anti- subsidy) :

No case of implementation

S.No. Notification no. and date

or other references

Details of products/ sectors

affected (including HS codes)

Effective from

c. Feedback from major Indian industries/other commercial concerns set –up- in

that country and Indian trade visitors to that country S.No. Name of

business house

Activity sector Trade barrier issues if

any (including HS

codes)

General

Feedback

1. A 3-member

delegation

from the

International

Chamber for

Service

Industry

(ICSI), based

at New Delhi,

visited

Mauritius from

23-27

September

2015 for the

scope of

exploring

business

possibilities.

They had

several

working

sessions with

the Enterprise

Mauritius

(EM),

Construction

Industry

Development

Board (CIDB),

Board of

Investment

(BOI), and the

Ministry of

Labour.

d. Feedback on major trade fairs/BSM including Indian participation (whether or not

supported by MAI funds): S.No. Particulars of

trade Fair, dates

etc.

Number of

participants

from India

List of large

participants

Feedback received

1. India Wedding

Lounge 2015

The third edition of

INDIAWEDDINGLOUNGE

earned high demand in

Mauritius market as it was

held in the wedding season

here.

e. Feedback from local commercial visitors to trade fairs in India, including under BSM.

Number of Business Visas issued:

S.No. Particulars of Number of List of large Number of Feedback

11

Trade Fair,

dates etc.

Participants participants Business

Visas issued

received

1. ‘Kids India

2015’organized

by The Sports

Goods Export

Promotion

Council

(SGEPC) from

24th – 26th

Sept, 2015 at

Bombay

Convention &

Exhibition

Centre (BCEC),

Mumbai

(India).

One

Mauritian

Company

Island Kidz

Ltd

01 for this

fair

The local

company

stated that

1.The

participating

Indian

companies in

the fair were

very few. So,

the choice of

suppliers was

limited.

2. The fair

was basically

targeted at the

local Indian

market and

not on

international

sidelines .

2. HCI, Port

Louis issued

159

Business

Visas

between 1st

Jul to 30th

Sep/2015.

4. Investment:

a. Opportunities for investments/ assets on offer/major company divestment: No reportable case came

into our notice.

S.No. Particulars of the asset /company Contact details

b. Information on tender Notices for projects and procurements of interest to Indian project exporters/

suppliers (USD15 million & above)

Tenders notices, procurement news, international competitive bids, request for proposal (RFPs),

expression of interest (EOI) from Mauritius are available at Government Procurement Website

http://publicprocurement.govmu.org

c. Information regarding upcoming major investment in India from respective country :

S.No. Particulars of the asset /company Sector of

investment

Quantum of

investment

1. Ireland Blyth Ltd (IBL) Fish Processing and -

12

Flour

5. Details of trade research, information dissemination activity of the commercial wing

o Details of following trade fairs/exhibitions/business meets organized in India were disseminated

amongst a wide spectrum of Mauritian trade and industry circles.

AUTO SCM 2015 - 23 -24 July 2015

CII - IGBC One day conference on Waste-to-Wealth: 7 August 2015

Foodpro 2015 - 28th August 2015

Climate Change Conclave : India Developing A Greener Tomorrow - 10 September, 2015

Kids India 2015 - 24th – 26th Sept, 2015

International Rail Conference 2015 - 14 October 2015

INDIA – AFRICA BUSINESS FORUM, 3rd India – Africa Forum Summit - 28 October 2015

CII National IoT Summit 2015 - 16 November 2015

5th India Engineering Sourcing Show 2015- 24-26 November 2015

INDIASOFT 2016 - 10th & 11th March, 2016

o Some of the other promotion activities undertaken on a regular basis include:-

Distribution of brochures/pamphlets on India as an attractive investment destination;

Regular dissemination of India’s economic and trade policy;

Continuous interaction with Indian PSUs in Mauritius and Private Sector companies

Media outreach activities;

Constant and regular interaction with Economic and Trade Ministries, Ministry of Foreign

Affairs, Regional Integration & International Trade for foreign trade policy issues, and

Regular interface with the Board of Investment, Financial Services Commission, Bank of

Mauritius, etc.

6. Details of activities conducted out of Trade promotion budget: The following expenditure was

incurred out of the sanctioned 1,00,000 INR.

S.N.O. Date of incurred expenditure Amount utilized

(in INR)

Details of Activity

1. July 02,2015 920 Purchase of one copy of

2015 edition of Top One

Hundred Companies

2. September 30, 2015 12,944 Expenditure incurred on

hiring Audio/Visual

Equipment for a Textile

Seminar at IGCIC on

07/07/2015

Total 13, 864

7. Action taken on the previous JWGs, Joint commissions, Sub-commissions etc. (issues that

Mission had to follow up with host government): No JWG meeting in this quarter

S.No. Detail of JWG/JEC Action Point Action Taken

8. Trade Queries for import /Exports

13

Month Indian Enquiries Mauritian Enquiries Total Action taken

July 83 2 85 All queries were

replied via e-mail. August 137 3 140

September 65 5 70

The general focus has mainly been on Rice, Gifts and Handicrafts, Jewellery, Ready-made

Garments & Home furnishings, Pharmaceuticals, Engineering, amongst others.

9. Any other issue of importance

Mauritius and Zambia signed an Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (IPPA) on 14 July

2015. The agreement seeks to create favourable conditions for greater flows of investment between

the two countries.

Ms Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, the President of the Republic, attended a UN conference on scientific

and industrial development of Africa in London in the month of July 2015.

The rating agency Care Ratings (Africa), has granted an A- to the Banyan Tree Bank (an Indian

entity operating in Mauritius).

Mr Vishnu Lutchmeenaraidoo, the Minister of Finance of Mauritius, headed a delegation to

Malaysia and Singapore, in the month of August, to find new sources of foreign investment,

procurement, transfer of technology and expertise to achieve the High Investment - High

Employment Economy.

HE Mr John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana was on an official visit to

Mauritius from 24 to 26 August 2015. Agreement on Mutual Visa Exemption; Agreement on the

Setting up of the Tema Technology Park in Accra, Ghana; a Memorandum of Understanding on

Cooperation in the Field of Standardization; a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the

Field of Tertiary Education were signed during the visit.

The Republic of Mauritius and the United Arab Emirates signed an Investment Promotion and

Protection Agreement (IPPA) on 20 September 2015.

Sir Anerood Jugnauth, the Prime Minister of Mauritius, was on an official visit to New York from 20

September to 07 October, to attend the United Nations Summit and the 70th session of the General

Assembly of the United Nations. He also participated in the U.S.-Africa Institutional Investor

Roadshow Launch where he met potential investors who were invited to use Mauritius as a platform

to invest in Africa.