Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on Wednesday described Seychelles as a “vital partner” and said the relationship between the India and Seychelles is “unique and special”.
Notify that Indian PM Narendra Modi reached here late Tuesday on the first leg of a three-nation tour.
In a statement, PM Modi said, “It is founded on a deep sense of mutual trust and confidence. It is marked by a spirit of respect and equality and enormous goodwill and warmth.”
He also said, “It draws strength from our shared values of democracy and inclusiveness. It is nurtured by a common purpose – progress of our people and peace and prosperity in the Indian Ocean region.”
PM Modi said, “Seychelles has made impressive progress. It has shown that size is no barrier to the scale of achievements.”
He also said that his visit and conversation with President Michel have reinforced his “conviction in the strength and the importance of this relationship”.
PM Modi while talking about business cooperation between the two countries, said, India is pleased to be a partner in development of human resources and capacity building in Seychelles.
“…Indeed, Seychelles is one of the largest recipients of Indian assistance in this area. We intend to expand this further in the future,” said Modi.
He said, “Our agreement today (Wednesday) on hydrographic survey adds a new dimension to our maritime cooperation. I thank Seychelles for their confidence in India. We also hope that Seychelles will soon be a full partner in the maritime security cooperation between India, Maldives and Sri Lanka.”
Modi also praised the host country for their expertise in marine resources.
Indian PM said, “Seychelles is a leader in advancing the concept of blue economy. We also believe that the ocean economy is indispensable to meeting our future challenges.”
Modi said President James Michel and he agreed to establish a Joint Working Group (JWG) to expand cooperation on the blue economy.
“This cooperation will increase our understanding of marine ecology and resources. We will improve our ability to harness new possibilities of the ocean in a sustainable and balanced manner,” he said.
The prime minister said he was happy that Seychelles had launched direct flight to India for close people to people contact.
He said, “I thanked President Michel for his government’s consistent support to India in international forums. This includes the endorsement for India’s permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council.”
Modi said, “We had strong convergence of views on climate change. We are two nations that are vulnerable to its impact. And, we are deeply committed to combating it.”
Notify that Prime Minister Narendra Modi left on Tuesday from New Delhi for a three-nation tour to Seychelles, Mauritius and Sri Lanka.
Bureau Report
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