Why in News?  

India Participates in Madagascar’s 65th Independence Day Celebrations.  

About Madagascar  

• Location: Madagascar lies in the Indian Ocean, about 250 miles southeast of Africa’s coast.  
• Maritime Borders: It shares maritime boundaries with Comoros, France (through Mayotte and Réunion), Mauritius, Mozambique, and Seychelles.  
• Fourth largest island in the world.  
• Rich in biodiversity, it hosts nearly 5% of the world’s plant and animal species, with about 80% being endemic, meaning they are found nowhere else.  
• Capital: Antananarivo  
• Currency: Malagasy ariary (MGA) 

Role in the Indian Monsoon  

• The southwest monsoon, which brings rain to India, originates near Madagascar due to the influence of the Mascarene High.  
• This high-pressure zone pushes moisture-rich south-easterly winds toward Somalia.  
• After crossing the equator, these winds turn into south-westerlies and travel toward India, bringing monsoon rains.  
• The monsoon cycle completes as it retreats via Tibet in September and finally dissipates over Madagascar.  

Red coloured area represents: Madagascar