India reaffirms deepening close partnership, commitment to support Seychelles developmental priorities during PM Modi's visit
Victoria, June 29
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Seychelles President Patrick Herminie held official talks on Sunday amid the ongoing state visit of PM Modi to the country. The talks covered the full spectrum of bilateral relations, with the leaders agreeing to further strengthen cooperation across key fronts like health, education and capacity building.
The Ministry of External Affairs, in an official statement, noted that the leaders discussed strengthening ties across health, education, capacity building, digital transformation, sustainable development, social infrastructure, renewable energy, maritime security and defence.
They also exchanged views on regional and global developments, including challenges in the Indian Ocean region, such as illegal fishing, drug trafficking and piracy. Both leaders expressed satisfaction at the progress made in the implementation of projects and initiatives under the Special Economic Package announced by India. Prime Minister reaffirmed India's commitment to supporting the development priorities of Seychelles and to further deepen the close and enduring partnership between the two countries.
The details of the discussions were also shared in a post on X by the Prime Minister's Office.
Following the official talks, both leaders released a joint commemorative logo marking 50 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Several MoUs and agreements in the fields of Capacity Building, UPI, Health, Agriculture, Shipping, Space, Extradition and Line of Credit were exchanged thereafter. The amount of the Line of Credit stands at INR 1250 crores.
The statement noted that in addition, several announcements in the fields of food security, infrastructure, health, vocational training, maritime security and defence were made in support of the development needs of Seychelles. Seychelles also announced that it is joining the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
Later on Sunday, Prime Minister Modi addressed an Extraordinary Sitting of the National Assembly of Seychelles, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to do so. In his address, he highlighted the historical bonds of friendship between India and Seychelles and underscored the shared values of democracy, rule of law and people-centric governance that guide the two countries. He noted that mutual trust and close cooperation have shaped a robust partnership spanning development cooperation, maritime security, technology, innovation, health and capacity building. Prime Minister also called for enhanced parliamentary exchanges between the two democracies.
In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and hospitality offered by the Seychellois people and highlighted how he had an hour to interact with the members of the Assembly.
The Leader of Opposition of Seychelles, Bernard Georges, also called on the Prime Minister. The two leaders discussed India-Seychelles bilateral ties and conveyed their strong support to further build the special friendship between the two countries.
In a post on X, PM Modi said that the meeting with Seychelles opposition leader Bernard Georges saw discussions on various subjects relating to the India-Seychelles partnership.
"Expressed gratitude for his warm remarks at the National Assembly earlier today, after my address. Glad to see the India-Seychelles relations having broad support across all sections of society in Seychelles," he said.
Significantly, in recognition for championing Climate Action globally, PM Modi was conferred the 'Guardian of the Blue Horizon' distinction.
"The conferment of the 'Guardian of the Blue Horizon' distinction on PM underscores his leadership and commitment to advancing environmental conservation, climate change action and sustainable development. Let's join hands for a greener planet," Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.
Also on Sunday, PM Modi met Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam and the two leaders discussed the ongoing cooperation between India and Mauritius. They further reviewed the progress made in the implementation of the Special Economic Package extended by India.
"Prime Minister Modi underscored the importance attached by India to the development and progress of Mauritius, noting that the ongoing bilateral projects will contribute to Mauritius's healthcare, connectivity, sustainable development and blue economy," the MEA statement said.
Prime Minister Modi is on a three-day State Visit to Seychelles from June 27 to June 29 at the invitation of President Herminie.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is wonderful! India helping with health, education, and capacity building in Seychelles—it feels good to be a big brother to smaller nations. But I hope we also learn from them about environmental conservation. The 'Guardian of the Blue Horizon' award is a fitting recognition for PM Modi's climate efforts. Let's continue this path of sustainable development! 🌊🌍
I've been to Seychelles for work—it's a beautiful country but they face real challenges with drug trafficking and illegal fishing from other nations. India's support with maritime security and defense is crucial. The UPI MoU is also a smart move; it'll make transactions easier for Indian tourists and businesses there. Good to see India projecting soft power effectively.
As someone who follows global diplomacy, India's consistent engagement with small island nations like Seychelles is impressive. The 50-year diplomatic milestone is significant, and the joint logo is a nice touch. Building trust over decades—that's how you win friends. The CDRI membership is also a win for climate resilience. Kudos to both leaders for this productive visit.
I appreciate the focus on health and education—these are the real foundations of a lasting partnership. But I hope the Line of Credit is used transparently and doesn't lead to dependency. Also, meeting the opposition leader was a smart move; it shows India respects democratic processes. PM Modi's address to the National Assembly is a historic moment! 🇮🇳👏
N Naveen S The mention of We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.