Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that India and Seychelles share a vital partnership in India’s foreign policy for the Indian Ocean Region during his virtual summit with Seychelles President Wavel Ramkalawan. The virtual event was the first interaction between PM Modi and Seychelles President Ramkalawan.
“India and Seychelles share vital partnership in the Indian Ocean neighbourhood. Seychelles is central to India’s vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR). India is honoured to be a partner of Seychelles in the development of its security capabilities, and in meeting its infrastructural and developmental needs,” PM Modi said at the virtual meeting. “Today marks an important milestone in our relations. We are meeting to jointly inaugurate several new projects completed under our development partnership,” PM Modi added.
The virtual event was organised for the joint e-inauguration of several development assistance projects funded by India in Seychelles and the handing over of a Fast Patrol Vessel supplied by India Navy for the use of the Seychelles Coast Guard.
During the virtual event, Prime Minister Modi and President Ramkalawan jointly inaugurated the new Magistrates’ Court building in Seychelles. The building is the first Indian assisted infrastructure project in Seychelles and has been completed with grant assistance of $3.5 million from Government of India. Situated in the heart of Seychelles’ capital city of Victoria, flaunting a modern design and built to high quality standards, the Magistrates’ Court will significantly boost the capacity of the justice system of Seychelles and become a landmark of bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
PM Modi also handed over a 48.9 m Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) to the President of Seychelles during the virtual event. The FPV, built by M/s GRSE, Kolkata at as cost of INR 100 crore, has been gifted to Seychelles under Indian grant assistance to meet its urgent requirement of strengthening its maritime surveillance capabilities. The modern and state of the art vessel will significantly boost the capability of the Seychelles Coast Guard in effectively patrolling and protecting its vast marine estate and help in combating threats such as maritime piracy, drug and arms smuggling and illegal fishing in Seychelles’ waters. The supply of the vessel is in line with time-tested and deep cooperation between India and Seychelles in the field of maritime security and India’s role as a trusted and preferred security partner of Seychelles.
During the event, Prime Minister and the President of Seychelles also jointly e-inaugurated a 1 MW ground mounted Solar Power Plant built with Indian grant assistance in Romainville Island of Seychelles. Ten (10) Indian High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) in Seychelles were also e-inaugurated by the two dignitaries. Speaking at the occasion, Prime Minister Modi emphasised the importance of development partnership in people-oriented infrastructure projects in further strengthening cooperation with Seychelles.
The Prime Minister noted that the new Magistrates’ Court built with modern design and state-of-the-art facilities will serve as the perfect seat for delivery of judicial services to the people of Seychelles. The Prime Minister said that the gift of a Fast Patrol Vessel to Seychelles demonstrates India’s commitment to strengthen Seychelles’ own capacities in safeguarding and surveilling its maritime space.
President Wavel Ramkalawan expressed his deep gratitude for India’s continuous support in meeting the security and developmental needs of Seychelles as reflective of the strong and close ties between the two countries. The e-inauguration of the new Magistrates’ Court Building, 1 MW Solar Power plant, the HICDPs and the handing over of the FPV demonstrates India’s steadfast role as a longstanding and reliable partner of Seychelles and its commitment towards a deepening bilateral relationship. The cooperation projects showcased at the event are in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘SAGAR – Security and Growth for All in the Region’.