Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan met H.E. Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Housing and Lands of Mauritius, Mr Shokutally Soodhun. Mr Soodhun is on a three day visit to India for the meetng of the Joint Committee on Hydrography and to further strengthen India-Mauritius bilateral maritime cooperation. India and Mauritius enjoy old and time-tested ties which are rooted in culture and kinship which have grown from strength to strength in recent years. In the hydrocarbon sector, Mangalore Refineries and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL), India’s PSU refinery, has been supplying the Island nation’s petroleum product requirements since 2006. Both countries are presently working towards further deepening the engagement in the oil and gas sector. During the meeting, Shri Pradhan assured India’s continued support to Mauritius in meeting its energy requirement. He also expressed India’s commitment in Mauritius becoming a regional petroleum hub, through requisite oil and gas sector infrastructure development, including to ensure energy security of Mauritius. Both Ministers expressed their keenness to work towards further strengthening the bilateral engagements in the hydrocarbon sector and make it one of the important areas of bilateral cooperation between both the countries.