India Finalising Oil And Gas Supply Pact With Mauritius As Energy Security Moves Up The Agenda

India is moving to formalise a government-to-government oil and gas supply arrangement with Mauritius, with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar saying in Port Louis that the agreement is now being finalised. He made the announcement after meeting Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam during his 9–10 April visit to the island nation for the 9th Indian Ocean Conference, a trip that the Ministry of External Affairs had already described as one meant to review the full spectrum of bilateral ties.

Jaishankar said the proposed pact would help reinforce Mauritius’ energy security and argued that the ongoing West Asia crisis has underlined the value of strategic partnerships, especially in the energy sector. The backdrop is important: Reuters has reported that recent regional tensions disrupted shipping and gas supplies linked to the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint that normally carries a major share of India’s crude inflows, pushing New Delhi to diversify and secure energy supplies more aggressively.

The energy announcement was presented as part of a wider expansion in India-Mauritius ties. In his official remarks, Jaishankar said the relationship had gained momentum since the two countries elevated ties to an Enhanced Strategic Partnership in March 2025. He also highlighted cooperation in clean energy, including the 8 MW solar power plant at Henrietta, collaboration through the International Solar Alliance and the Global Biofuels Alliance, and the development of Mauritius’ first floating solar power project by an Indian public sector enterprise.

The visit also produced signals beyond energy. Jaishankar announced that India would soon post a Defence Attaché in Mauritius, and he pointed to cooperation in hydrography, health, education, labour, and digital capacity-building, including the launch of a dedicated iGOT Karmayogi portal for Mauritian civil servants. Taken together, the package suggests India is trying to anchor energy, maritime security, and development cooperation inside a broader Indian Ocean strategy rather than treat them as separate tracks.

What remains unclear for now is the operational detail. Neither the MEA statement nor the public reporting cited here disclosed volumes, pricing, delivery timelines, or the exact structure of the oil and gas arrangement. Even so, the message from Port Louis is clear: India wants Mauritius’ energy security to become part of a deeper strategic partnership at a time when instability in West Asia has made supply resilience far more urgent.

Sources:
https://www.mea.gov.in/Speeches-Statements.htm?dtl/41034/Statement_to_media_by_EAM_Dr_S_Jaishankar_after_meeting_with_Prime_Minister_Navin_Ramgoolam_of_Mauritius=
https://www.mea.gov.in/press-releases.htm?dtl/41029/Visit+of+External+Affairs+Minister+to+Mauritius+and+the+UAE+912+April+2026=
https://www.newsonair.gov.in/eam-s-jaishankar-says-india-finalising-oil-and-gas-supply-pact-with-mauritius/
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/foreign-trade/india-finalising-agreement-to-supply-oil-gas-to-mauritius-amid-west-asia-crisis-says-eam-jaishankar-us-israel-iran-war/amp_articleshow/130156982.cms
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/india-securing-additional-lng-supplies-non-middle-eastern-sources-government-2026-03-10/
https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-orders-strengthening-natural-gas-infrastructure-2026-03-24/