India and Mauritius have strengthened their energy partnership with a five-year fuel supply agreement, making Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the main supplier of petroleum products to the island nation. Under the agreement, IOC will meet Mauritius’ entire import requirement for petrol, diesel and aviation turbine fuel (ATF). The pact gives Mauritius greater certainty in fuel supplies and strengthens India’s position as a key energy partner in the Indian Ocean region.

The agreement was signed during Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri’s official visit to Mauritius on August 20 and 21. The visit also saw the signing of a government-to-government memorandum of understanding (MoU) to expand cooperation in the oil and gas sector. The MoU covers petroleum product supplies, training, capacity building and biofuels.

The long-term sales and purchase agreement was signed between IOC and Mauritius’ State Trading Corporation (STC). According to an official statement, the agreement will provide Mauritius with assured fuel supplies and reduce its exposure to price volatility. It is also the first long-term supply agreement concluded by an Indian public-sector oil marketing company outside South Asia in recent years.

Under the agreement, “IOC will supply the entire import requirement of Mauritius of motor spirit (petrol), high speed diesel (diesel) and aviation turbine fuel (ATF).”

The deal comes at a time when countries are seeking to strengthen their energy security amid disruptions in global fuel markets. The continuing instability in the West Asia region has heightened concerns over fuel supply and prices. The agreement allows Mauritius to secure its key fuel requirements through a long-term arrangement with an Indian supplier.

India has become a major refining hub and produces around 267 million tonnes of refined petroleum products every year through 23 refineries. The country is also a net exporter of refined fuels. India already supplies petroleum products to neighbouring Nepal and Bhutan and exports large volumes to other markets in the region and beyond.

The Petroleum Ministry said India continued to meet its supply commitments to Nepal and Bhutan even during the ongoing West Asia crisis. This, it said, highlights India’s role as a reliable fuel supplier in the region. The ministry said the new agreement with Mauritius will further strengthen that position.

“The agreement with Mauritius positions India as the country’s anchor fuel supplier and strengthens India’s strategic and economic footprint in the Indian Ocean region,” the ministry statement said.

The partnership also extends beyond fuel supplies. The two countries have created a broader framework for cooperation in the energy sector through the oil and gas MoU. It covers conventional fuels as well as emerging areas such as biofuels. The arrangement will support knowledge sharing, research and training in these areas.

During his visit, Puri met Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam on August 20. The two sides exchanged the oil and gas MoU and witnessed the signing of the IOC-STC fuel supply agreement. Puri also met Energy and Public Utilities Minister Patrick Gervais Assirvaden, Commerce and Consumer Protection Minister John Michael Tzoun Sao Yeung Sik Yuen, and Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade Minister Dhananjay Ramful.

Puri and Assirvaden also took part in a groundbreaking ceremony for a 27,500-tonne marine bunker fuel storage facility being developed by India Oil (Mauritius) Ltd at Mer Rouge in Port Louis. IOC said the facility has been built with an investment of USD 25 million.

“The facility will significantly boost IOML’s bunkering capabilities and Mauritius’ ambitions as a strategic bunkering hub. As Mauritius charts new horizons in its Blue Economy, IndianOil is proud to power the journey ahead.”

The new storage facility is expected to improve Mauritius’ marine fuel infrastructure and strengthen its ambitions to become a strategic bunkering hub. It will also expand India’s presence in Mauritius’ energy supply chain and support the country’s growing focus on its Blue Economy.

The partnership also includes cooperation on biofuels. Mauritius is a founding member of the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA), an initiative piloted by India and launched during New Delhi’s G20 presidency. As part of its country engagement programme, the GBA Secretariat has partnered with Mauritius’ Ministry of Energy and Public Utilities to develop a Biofuels Country Landscape Policy framework.

Puri and Assirvaden jointly witnessed the launch of the framework on August 21. The initiative will help Mauritius assess the potential role of biofuels in its energy transition and encourage cooperation in areas such as research, knowledge exchange and training.

The agreements mark a wider shift in India-Mauritius energy cooperation. India’s role will now go beyond individual fuel shipments to include long-term supply security, energy infrastructure, capacity building and alternative fuels. The partnership is expected to strengthen India’s strategic and economic engagement with Mauritius while expanding its energy footprint across the Indian Ocean region.