Mauritius will hold its legislative elections on November 10, as announced by President Prithvirajsing Roopun on Friday.
The president also confirmed that parliament was being dissolved immediately, and candidates must submit their nominations by October 22.
Although the dissolution was due by late November, the announcement coincided with Mauritius securing a significant agreement with Britain to regain sovereignty over the Chagos Islands.
For years, Britain had resisted international calls to return the islands, largely due to the joint military base it operates with the United States on Diego Garcia, one of the islands.
Under the new agreement, Britain will retain the lease to keep the base operational for an initial 99-year period.
Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, who won the last election in 2019 with his Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) securing 38 out of 62 parliamentary seats, is expected to run again.
His 2019 victory was upheld last year by a British court, which dismissed an opposition appeal claiming bribery and undue influence during the election.
Jugnauth has been in office since 2017, when he succeeded his father as prime minister.
Mauritius, a prosperous Indian Ocean nation with a population of 1.3 million, is known for its strong financial sector and its role as a bridge between Africa and Asia.