In News
Prime Minister of India and President of the Republic of Seychelles jointly inaugurated a range of Development Assistance Projects at India-Seychelles High-Level Virtual Event that was held recently.
Key Highlights of Cooperation Projects
Magistrates’ Court building
- Both the countries jointly inaugurated the new Magistrates’ Court building in Seychelles.
- The new Magistrates’ Court built with modern design and state-of-the-art facilities will serve as the perfect seat for the delivery of judicial services to the people of Seychelles.
- The building is the first Indian assisted infrastructure project in Seychelles and has been completed with grant assistance of USD 3.5 million from the Government of India.
Fast Patrol Vessel
- Prime Minister of India also handed over a 48.9 m Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) to Seychelles for the use of the Seychelles Coast Guard.
- This 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.
1 MW ground-mounted Solar Power Plant
- During the event, both sides have jointly e-inaugurated a 1 MW ground-mounted Solar Power Plant built with Indian grant assistance in Romainville Island of Seychelles.
- The One MegaWatt solar power plant in Seychelles built with India’s assistance would help fight the threat of climate change.
- Ten (10) Indian High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) in Seychelles were also e-inaugurated by the two dignitaries.
Significance
- The inauguration of the key projects demonstrates India’s privileged and time-tested role as a reliable partner of Seychelles for meeting its infrastructural, developmental and security requirements.
- Seychelles is central to India’s vision of ‘SAGAR’ – ‘Security and Growth for All in the Region’.
- India is developing infrastructure in the country to expand its footprint in the strategically key region in the Indian Ocean where China has been trying to enhance its military presence.
|
India and Seychelles relations
Bilateral Engagement
- India’s bilateral engagement with Seychelles has evolved over our historical contacts and continuous support to Seychelles for its security, even as our bilateral trade remains modest.
- Today, India-Seychelles relations are characterized by close friendship, understanding and cooperation.
- Diplomatic ties were established with Seychelles after its independence in 1976.
- An Indian Mission was established in 1979 in Victoria, with the High Commissioner based in Dar-es-Salaam and concurrently accredited to Seychelles.
- During times of need, India was able to supply essential medicines and 50 thousand doses of Made in India vaccines to Seychelles.
- Seychelles was the first African country to receive the Made in India COVID-19 vaccines.
Trade & Investment
- Our bilateral trade and commerce with Seychelles are rather modest.
- Presently, Seychelles’ main items of import from India are rice, miscellaneous food products, cement, linen, cotton, vehicles & associated transport equipment, medicines, instruments and appliances for medical, surgical & dental use.
- India exported goods worth US$ 42.06 million and imported goods worth US$ 1.37 million from Seychelles during the financial year 2017-18.
- From April to July 2019 India exported goods worth US $ 17.92 to Seychelles and imported goods worth US $ 0.46 million from Seychelles.
- India offered a second line of credit for the defence and maritime security cooperation of Seychelles for an amount of USD 100million
Energy and Environment
- Blue Economy Protocol was signed between India and Seychelles in August 2015.
- In pursuance of the bilateral MOU on Renewable, Energy Cooperation signed during PM’s visit to Seychelles in March 2015.
- Meanwhile, the two countries have been supportive of each other’s position in the international fora on issues related to climate change.
- With the ratification of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Framework Agreement in September 2017, Seychelles has officially become one of the Founding Members of ISA.
Cultural Relations
- With a significant presence of the Indian Diaspora in Seychelles, cultural contacts between the two countries have been primarily community-driven with support from the two governments.
- At the initiative of prominent PIO associations in Seychelles, several Indian cultural troupes regularly visit Seychelles for performance.
- In June 2018, CEP was signed with Seychelles.
Indian Community
- India has an important link with Seychelles with the first small group of five Indians arriving in Seychelles in 1770.
- It took almost a hundred years thereafter for the next lot of Indians to set foot on Seychelles soil.
Defence and Security Cooperation
- India and Seychelles have an elaborate architecture of defence and security cooperation that has deepened over the years with the growing piracy menace and other economic offences in the strategic Indian Ocean region.
- In pursuance of the MOU on Hydrography signed during the Prime Minister’s visit in Mar 2015, Indian Naval Ship INS Darshak visited Seychelles in 2015 to conduct a hydrographic survey of Victoria Port and adjoining areas.
- Two patrol boats PS Topaz and PS Constant were gifted by India to Seychelles in 2005 and 2014 respectively.
- Indian Coast Guard’s Fast Interceptor Boat C-405 (rechristened ‘PB Hermes’) was gifted to Seychelles in 2016.
Image Courtesy: Britannica
About the SAGAR Programme (Security and Growth for All in the Region)
- SAGAR is a term coined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 during his Mauritius visit with a focus on the blue economy.
- It is a maritime initiative that gives priority to the Indian Ocean region (IOR) for ensuring peace, stability and prosperity of India in the Indian Ocean region.
- It is in line with the principles of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).
|
Source :AIR
