India–Mauritius energy partnership set to expand
Mauritius will soon begin importing petroleum products from India under a government-to-government (G2G) arrangement, Mauritius Foreign Minister Dhananjay Ramful said on Friday.
Speaking to Press Trust of India (PTI) Videos, Ramful said Mauritius had earlier received petroleum supplies from India under a similar arrangement involving the Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL).
“In the past, we did have a similar arrangement with the Indian government, involving Mangalore oil refinery. So it was a G to G government, and we were getting a continuous supply of petrol at a relatively cheap price, and we are expecting a similar arrangement with the Indian government,” Ramful said.
Mauritius is entirely dependent on imported petroleum products, with refined fuel imports estimated at around USD 1.3 billion annually, making energy security a key concern for the island nation.
Rupee payment option under consideration
The Mauritian government is also considering purchasing petroleum products in Indian rupees, a move that could further reduce costs and strengthen bilateral trade ties.
“We are also thinking that probably we can purchase the petrol in rupees, and that would make it even more attractive for Mauritius,” Ramful said.
Middle East tensions raise concerns
The Mauritian minister also highlighted the potential economic impact of the ongoing tensions in West Asia, noting that smaller economies that depend heavily on energy imports are particularly vulnerable.
“It’s going to have a wide impact on small, vulnerable economies like Mauritius. There are other impacts as well, for example, on the tourism sector and food supply,” he said.
Expanding India–Mauritius cooperation
Apart from energy cooperation, Mauritius and India have been strengthening their partnership in areas such as maritime security, white shipping information sharing and emerging technologies including artificial intelligence.
The planned petroleum supply arrangement is expected to further deepen economic cooperation between the two countries while providing Mauritius with a stable and cost-effective source of fuel imports.
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