[johnlohanmclee]

During 1980's Indian prime Minister Mrs Indira Gandhi wanting stability in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), forged a close relationship with Mauritius. She was not comfortable with the idea of a US base at Diego Garcia. In 1983, Mrs Gandhi mooted the Double Taxation Avoidance Convention (DTAC), a unique economic sop provided to Mauritius entities and persons to invest into India. In 1984, India stationed a National Security Adviser (NSA) General Taimni in Port Louis, invariably, from the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). Indian military assistance was also provided by the Indian Navy. Other governments departments like the Ministries of External Affairs,Finance, and the intelligence agencies etc worked in tandem to bring Mauritius in to India’s strategic umbrella.

Mauritius became the Indian listening post in the IOR and the Indian Navy helped set up its Coast Guard, provided ships, personnel and craft and helicopters and Dornier planes which operated from Port Louis for maritime surveillance. Indian Navy warships regularly called at Port Louis and co-operated closely with the local Coast Guard and Police which is responsible for security.

B Raman in his book ‘Kaoboys Of RAW’,on page 119 writes, “Just before Suntook (Naushervan Framji Suntook) retired on 31st March, 1983 a ‘traditional ally’ of India sought assistance in a very sensitive matter. After discussing this in a Top Secret meeting attended by very small number of officers, Indira Gandhi accepted the suggestion of R N Kao (her security adviser and founder of RAW) to send Suntook (head of RAW, due to hand over to Gary Saxena) on a visit to that country for discussion with its Prime Minister”.

The reference has been made to Mauritius and the discussion was to stave off a possible coup against PM Anerood Jugnauth who was in Delhi for the Non Aligned Movement Summit. He was the leader of the Mouvement Militant Mauricien (MMM), a Left socialist political party in Mauritius whose ‘ideological leader’, was Paul Berenger, a firebrand socialist of French descent. Juganath had only recently been installed by support provided by Mrs Gandhi when he ousted Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam of the Mauritius Labour Party (MLP) that India had supported since independence for 14 years. There was considerable friction between Jugnauth and Finance Minister Berenger, which led to a crisis in the Mauritian government.

Mrs Gandhi acted and asked the Indian Armed Forces to plan to send a contingent of Army troops on naval warships from the Western Fleet, which was codenamed ‘Operation Lal Dora’. The Navy which had studied the 1982 Falklands war were more than happy. CNS Admiral Stan Dawson and Lt Gen SK Sinha VCOAS presented the plans to Mrs Gandhi in South Block but the operation never took place. Chief of Army Staff, General Krishna Rao, was abroad at that point of time. The plan was somehow leaked to Mauritius, and it created fear among the conspirators. After returning from from Delhi, Jugnuath dissolved the Assembly, quit MMM and formed the Militant Socialist Movement ( MSM). He came back to power with the support of an alliance with the MLP and the Social Democrats. Berenger became the leader of the opposition.