Seychelles invites Indian businesses to tap gateway to Africa after PM Modi's visit: Envoy
New Delhi, July 4
Seychelles has invited Indian businesses to leverage the island nation's strategic location as a gateway to Africa following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent state visit, as the two countries seek to strengthen bilateral ties and ramp up trade and commerce, Harisoa Lalatiana Accouche, High Commissioner of Seychelles to India, said on Saturday.
"Despite the fact that Seychelles is small, the location we have is very strategic, where we can play a big role in connecting Africa. Africa is a big market between Asia and even the Middle East. So don't look at Seychelles as small, but look at the location where we can play a big, big role connecting many countries and many continents," she said while responding to a question asked by ANI on the sidelines of the 17th Toy Biz International B2B Expo 2026 in New Delhi.
Highlighting the broader relationship between the two countries, the High Commissioner said India and Seychelles share historical ties that extend beyond diplomatic engagement and are underpinned by strong people-to-people connections.
She said the focus now is on building on the momentum generated by the Prime Minister's visit and translating it into stronger cooperation across sectors.
Asked about the future of bilateral ties, Accouche expressed confidence that relations between India and Seychelles would continue to deepen.
"That's obvious. We are going to strengthen more, not only in the business sector but also in people-to-people connections. I am very happy to be here to witness the strengthening of relations and happy to follow up and happy to work more for that," she said.
Talking about Prime Minister Modi's visit to the island nation, Accouche said that it has been a very successful visit and we look forward to strengthening further and taking follow-up action on this visit.
She further added that it was a big honour for Seychelles to have Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week on a state visit and as the island nation's Guest of Honour for the 50th anniversary of the independence of Seychelles.
"It has been not only a visit but a way to strengthen further the relations between Seychelles and India, which are based on historical links. It is not only about diplomatic relations but also people-to-people connectivity," she said.
The envoy said Prime Minister Modi had encouraged greater trade and commercial engagement between the two countries and invited Indian investors and businesses to explore opportunities in Seychelles.
"In fact, Seychelles is very small. We do not produce much and we import most of everything. Prime Minister Modi encouraged us to increase the trade and commerce between the two countries and encouraged Indian investors and Indian businessmen to come to Seychelles," she said.
She said Seychelles' strategic location offers Indian businesses an opportunity to access larger regional markets, particularly Africa.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I'm glad PM Modi is strengthening ties with smaller nations too, not just big powers. Seychelles is a beautiful country with friendly people, and this kind of partnership benefits both sides. India can help with infrastructure and technology while Seychelles opens doors to African markets. Win-win!
As an investor, this is very interesting. Seychelles is already known for its business-friendly policies and ease of doing business. If Indian companies can use it as a base to reach East Africa, that could be a game-changer. We need more such strategic partnerships across the Indian Ocean region.
Good to see India's diplomacy expanding beyond traditional allies. Seychelles is strategically located near important shipping lanes, and closer ties will help secure our maritime interests too. I hope our business community takes this opportunity seriously, not just as a vacation spot.
While this sounds promising, I hope Indian businesses do proper research before investing. Seychelles may have a small domestic market, and Africa's business environment varies greatly by country. But if used right as a hub, it could be very beneficial for trade with Comoros, Madagascar, and East Africa.
Seychelles has beautiful people and great culture. This is about more than just business - it's about building lasting friendships. The people-to-people connections mentioned by the High Commissioner are key. I'd love to see more Indian tourists visiting Seychelles too, not just business delegations. 🌴
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