Indian software majors are eying an upcoming Rs. 2.7 billion information technology (IT) park in Mauritius that aims to be the Indian Ocean's IT hub, a senior Mauritian envoy said Wednesday.

The IT park commissioned this January with Indian credit is nearing completion, Mauritian High Commissioner Daneelal Seewoo told here.

"Many Indian software companies have visited the site in Mauritius and offered to locate there under the Indian credit scheme," Seewoo said in an interview. "We hope to be the IT giant in the Indian Ocean for the whole of Africa."

The official said a few Indian companies could sign contracts during Mauritian Deputy Prime Minister Paul Bérenger's visit to India eight weeks from now.

The Mauritian Cyber Park proposes to be an offshore center for global operations. The tiny island republic less than 900 km from southeast Africa is "ideally placed" to open African markets to the Indian companies, Seewoo said.

Indian government experts had backed the park on inspection. New Delhi's Rs. 2.7 billion credit, finalized during Mauritian Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth's India visit this January, would "greatly assist" the Indian companies.

The Mauritian government has also told the high commission here to give visas easily to Indian professionals going across, Seewoo added.

Mauritius was now working to attract Indian industry, business, finance and agriculture to boost its economy. It was holding talks with New Delhi for technical aid to develop cattle and fish breeding along its 330 km coastline, he said.

"The Indian government has sent experts to Mauritius to make feasibility studies. We are now talking for co-operation in all these areas," Seewoo said.

Mauritius believes closer relations with India would boost its biggest industry, tourism. A land of 1.2 million, Mauritius gets 600,000 tourists each year. Of them, only about 15,000 are from India.

"Today we get two tourists for one citizen. Our aim is to double it to a one-for-one ratio. Increased Indian business would help in that."

Mauritius, a tropical country 1,800 square km in size, has many ethnicities including Indian, African, Chinese and French. Nearly 70 percent of its people are descendants of Indians who began migrating there two centuries ago.

Mauritius is the second highest source of foreign direct investment for India after the U.S.

Investments worth Rs. 34 billion transited to India through Mauritian offshore centers during January-September 2000.

On its part, Mauritius is opening its hospitals to Indian doctors to meet an acute shortfall. Last year, it tied up with India's state-owned Indian Oil Corporation that is installing an oil terminal and an aviation fuel facility on its land.