India to supply oil & gas to Mauritius
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Port Louis: India is finalising an agreement for the supply of oil and gas to Mauritius to strengthen its energy security amid the crisis due to the West Asia conflict, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said here on Thursday.
Jaishankar, who is in Mauritius to attend the 9th Indian Ocean Conference, said the ongoing crisis in West Asia as Mauritius Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam reminded him, has underscored the importance of strategic partnerships, especially in the energy sector.
The West Asia war and Iran’s chokehold of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which a fifth of global oil passes, had halted shipping and sent global oil prices soaring.
“We are finalising a government-to-government agreement for the supply of oil and gas, which will play an important role in reinforcing energy security for Mauritius,” he said.
Jaishankar said he was also pleased to note that an Indian public sector enterprise was developing the country’s first floating solar power project.
“India and Mauritius share an expanding and dynamic partnership in clean energy and environment-friendly solutions,” the EAM said.
“Building on our cooperation in renewable energy, including the 8 MW solar power plant at Henrietta, we also work closely with the International Solar Alliance and the Global Biofuels Alliance,” Jaishankar said.
The EAM said he is also looking forward to handing over the last lot of e-buses to Mauritius to further strengthen sustainable public transportation and reduce carbon emissions.
