Prime Minister Modi’s Seychelles Visit: A New Chapter in Bilateral Relations

Seychelles, a small Island country in the Indian Ocean, occupied a significant position in India’s strategic calculus. Since formal diplomatic ties between India and Seychelles were established in in 1976, the India Seychelles relations have been marked by friendship, understanding and cooperation. India and Seychelles are key maritime partners in the Indian Ocean.

In the domain of maritime security, India shares common interest with Seychelles, a country containing critical sea route lanes. Seychelles is also an integral component of India’s MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) aimed at maintaining a secure and stable Indian Ocean. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Seychelles, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, has further strengthened the bond between the maritime partners.

The strategic importance India accords to Seychelles can be gauged from the fact that it was the first country in the Indian Ocean, and also the first African country which Narendra Modi visited in 2015, as the Indian Prime Minister. During his recent visit to Seychelles, PM Modi remarked that for India, Seychelles is not a small island nation but a large ocean country. “When people look at a map, they may see Seychelles as a group of islands in the Indian Ocean.