He had previously visited Mauritius in 1998 as BJP National General Secretary to address the International Ramayana Conference in Moka.
He returned to the country in 2015, after becoming Prime Minister. During that visit, he announced SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region), India's doctrine of maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean.
Mauritius, a former British and French colony that attained independence in 1968, is one of India's biggest trading partners.