What Happened

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, undertook an official visit to the Republic of Mauritius from August 20-21, 2026. During his visit, India and Mauritius exchanged a Government-to-Government Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the oil and gas sector. Additionally, a long-term Sales and Purchase Agreement was finalized between Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and the State Trading Corporation (STC) of Mauritius for petroleum products supply.

Key Facts

  • Shri Hardeep Singh Puri visited Mauritius from August 20-21, 2026.
  • On August 20, Minister Puri met with Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam of Mauritius.
  • The G2G MoU on oil and gas cooperation covers petroleum products supply, training for Mauritian officials, and biofuels cooperation.
  • The five-year Sales and Purchase Agreement commits IOCL to supply Mauritius' entire import requirement of Motor Spirit (MS), High Speed Diesel (HSD), and Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF).
  • This marks the first long-term supply agreement by an Indian PSU Oil Marketing Company outside South Asia in recent years.
  • Minister Puri participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for India Oil (Mauritius) Ltd's 27.5 TMT bunker marine fuel storage facility at Mer Rouge, Port Louis.
  • The MoU also includes cooperation in biofuels, with Minister Puri and Hon'ble Patrick Gervais Assirvaden witnessing the launch of the Biofuels Country Landscape Policy framework on August 21.

Why It Matters

The agreements provide Mauritius with security of petroleum supplies and shield it from price volatility. This development strengthens India's strategic and economic footprint in the Indian Ocean region, positioning India as Mauritius' anchor fuel supplier.

What To Watch

Future developments will include the implementation of the five-year supply agreement by IOCL and STC. Additionally, the progress of biofuels cooperation, including knowledge exchange and research, under the G2G MoU and the recently launched Biofuels Country Landscape Policy framework in Mauritius, will be significant.