India finalising agreement to supply oil, gas to Mauritius amid West Asia crisis: Jaishankar

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.

“In the span of just over a year, the partnership between our nations has witnessed remarkable and substantive progress,” he said.

Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Mauritius in March last year, he said the two countries jointly agreed to elevate bilateral ties to an ‘Enhanced Strategic Partnership’.

“This elevation equally reflects the expanding scope and deepening substance of our cooperation across a wide range of shared priorities,” he said.

Jaishankar also recalled Ramgoolam’s visit to India in September last year for his first bilateral overseas visit.

“That visit was marked by a significant milestone, namely the joint announcement of a Special Economic Package, tailored to Mauritius' development priorities and aspirations,” he said.

“Your visit again in February this year for the AI Impact Summit, immensely contributed to the deliberations in this important area as well as to steer our bilateral relations forward,” the EAM said.

Jaishankar said he called on the prime minister for wide-ranging discussions on various facets of bilateral relationship, encompassing maritime cooperation, development partnership, health, education, capacity building, and people-to-people ties.

Jaishankar, after concluding his Mauritius trip, will visit the United Arab Emirates from April 11 to 12.

The US and Iran agreed to a two-week conditional ceasefire on Wednesday as the two countries prepare for high-stakes talks in Pakistan to convert the ceasefire into permanent peace agreement.