Port Louis, Mauritius: Facing record electricity demand and a looming climate deadline, Mauritius has turned to India for help.
The island nation is seeking New Delhi’s support—both technical and financial—as it races to bolster power generation, ensure consistent electricity supply, and shift to 60% renewable energy by 2030, according to senior officials in the Mauritian government. The collaboration marks a deepening of the countries’ longstanding strategic partnership, as India positions itself as a key energy ally for small island nations confronting climate risk.
Mauritius recently reached out with a formal proposal to collaborate on a roadmap for energy security, Zeenat Guness-Goolbar, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Energy and Public Utilities, told Mint. The request, routed via the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the High Commission of India, follows a spike in electricity demand that has strained its aging infrastructure.
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On 5 February, Mauritius recorded a new peak power demand of 568 megawatts (MW), surpassing the previous record of 525.7 MW. With electricity needs rising alongside economic growth, Guness-Goolbar said the country is seeking support in generation planning, battery storage, and grid stability.
A team of Indian technical experts is expected to visit in May to assess the country’s requirements and lay the groundwork for future assistance.
“Energy and water were high on the agenda during the meeting that took place during the prime minister of Mauritius and prime minister of India during his state visit,” said Guness-Goolbar. “We understand that there will be follow-ups also in the energy sector. We are expecting a team of Indian experts coming to support the Central Electricity Board. So that is the one of the soon-to-materialize concrete action.”
India and Mauritius have long-standing ties across sectors including defense, trade and infrastructure. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Mauritius last month, where the two countries announced an “Enhanced Strategic Partnership” that includes cooperation on climate and clean energy.
“We are facing some challenges in terms of energy security, we have been witnessing very high power demand. In terms of our generation planning, we need to have some sort of support and assistance and India caters for so much in terms of power. So, definitely that is an area of competency on India’s side,” the permanent secretary added.
In 2023, an 8 MW solar power plant built by India’s state-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd was commissioned under a line of credit from the Indian government. The project feeds into Mauritius’s national grid and forms part of its broader renewable push.
Guness-Goolbar also noted that the country is looking at increasing its battery storage capacity—currently at 32 MW—to handle future peaks and stabilize supply.
The development comes at a time when India is looking to consolidate its geopolitical position in the Indian Ocean region and among the Global South.
Beyond bilateral efforts, Mauritius is also strengthening its collaboration with the International Solar Alliance (ISA), which India co-founded with France. On Thursday, Mauritius became the first African nation—and the fourth globally—to sign a Country Partnership Framework with the ISA. The agreement sets the stage for work on a national solar roadmap and regulatory architecture to accelerate the country’s energy transition.
“I think with ISA, we are more mature now in terms of collaboration and we are looking at forward to more in-depth collaboration following that signing of the framework agreement,” said Guness-Goolbar.
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Under its transition plan, Mauritius aims to generate 60% of its power from renewable sources by 2030—up from 19% currently—and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40%, partly by reducing its reliance on coal-based generation.
(The reporter is in Mauritius at the invitation of the International Solar Alliance.)
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