India, Mauritius to deepen energy partnership with focus on biofuels

India and Mauritius are set to broaden their energy partnership beyond conventional petroleum products, with greater emphasis on clean and sustainable fuels, Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said.

Puri said the bilateral energy relationship is evolving from meeting immediate fuel requirements to addressing long-term energy security and cleaner alternatives. Mauritius, a founding member of the Global Biofuels Alliance, has also prepared a National Biofuel Policy Framework with support from the alliance.

“India-Mauritius energy partnership is now not only limited to today’s needs, but is also moving towards future energy security and clean energy,” Puri said.

The new biofuel framework is expected to create opportunities for deeper cooperation in sustainable fuels, complementing the existing trade in crude oil and refined petroleum products.

India’s expanding refining capacity is also strengthening its role as an energy partner. The country currently has 23 refineries with a combined crude processing capacity of around 270 million metric tonnes annually, according to Puri. With capacity continuing to expand, India is increasingly positioned as a net exporter of refined petroleum products.

“India’s energy strength is now a strength for our friends as well,” Puri said, highlighting India’s potential to provide reliable energy supplies to partner countries amid growing global uncertainty.

He also described the country’s refining capabilities as both an asset and a responsibility. “India’s refining power is now not just our strength, but also our responsibility and our global credibility,” he said.

The latest government-to-government and business-to-business agreements are expected to open new avenues for cooperation in clean fuels and energy security.

Puri said Mauritius’ biofuel policy framework “opens the way for deeper cooperation in clean and sustainable fuels, beyond crude and refined products,” marking a broader shift in the India-Mauritius energy relationship.

Bioenergy in Mauritius

Mauritius has set a target of achieving 60% renewable energy by 2030, with its transition supported by a newly launched Biofuels Country Landscape Policy Framework developed in collaboration with the Global Biofuels Alliance.

Today, biomass, particularly sugarcane bagasse, remains an important component of the country’s renewable energy mix, supporting around 195 MW of thermal biomass-based cogeneration capacity. Major facilities, including those operated by Savannah, Terragen and Saint-Aubin, contribute to this biomass energy capacity and reflect the important role of the sugar industry in Mauritius’ clean-energy transition.