India, Mauritius sign five-year fuel supply pact

India and Mauritius have signed a five-year agreement under which Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) will supply the entire import requirement of the island nation for petrol, diesel, and aviation turbine fuel. The pact was exchanged during Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri's official visit to Mauritius on August 20-21.

The long-term sales and purchase agreement between IOC and Mauritius' State Trading Corporation aims to provide assured supplies and reduce exposure to price volatility. This is the first such long-term supply agreement concluded by an Indian public-sector oil marketing company outside South Asia in recent years.

A government-to-government memorandum of understanding was also signed to expand cooperation in oil and gas, including training, capacity building, and biofuels. During the visit, Puri participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for a 27,500-tonne marine bunker fuel storage facility in Port Louis, strengthening India's energy footprint in the Indian Ocean region.