Inter-Governmental Agreement between India and Mauritius on cooperation in cooperatives and related fields

No: --- Dated: May, 12 2016

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for signing of an Inter-Governmental Agreement between India and Mauritius on cooperation in cooperatives and related fields. 

The Agreement between the two countries will be for a duration of five years after which it will be automatically extended for another five years. The Agreement provides for promoting cooperation through short and medium term programmes within the framework of the joint activities mentioned in the Agreement. A work plan will be drawn up by mutual Agreement between the two parties to give effect to the objectives of this Agreement. 

Background: 

The Government of Mauritius has shown keen Interest to develop Institutional Mechanism between Cooperative Development Fund (CDF) set up by it and National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI) so as to benefit from NCUI's experience in Cooperative Development. A joint meeting was held in September, 2012 in Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare followed by Ministerial level meeting after a year (in September, 2013) for discussing the possibility of signing an MoU between the two countries for exchange of legislation governing cooperatives, exchange of information and technicalities pertaining to the cooperative sector, establishment of institutional linkages and deputation of experts under ITEC programme. A delegation of two senior officials from the Mauritius Government visited cooperative organisations of India to explore the possibilities of bilateral cooperation in the field of cooperatives.