‘Indian Ocean is our shared home’: PM Modi hails India-Seychelles ties, unveils UPI pact
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Indian Ocean is our shared home’: PM Modi hails India-Seychelles ties, unveils UPI pact")
Prime Minister Narendra Modi being conferred the 'Guardian of the Blue Horizon', Seychelles' highest distinction for leadership in environmental conservation and sustainable development, in Victoria on Sunday. Photograph: (X/@narendramodi)
PM Modi reaffirmed India's commitment to Seychelles, announcing a UPI pact and expanded cooperation in healthcare, defence, clean energy, space and the blue economy during his visit to the island nation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (Jun 28) reaffirmed India’s commitment to deepening its strategic partnership with Seychelles. Describing Indian Ocean as a “shared home”, PM Modi shared India’s vision for the region’s security and prosperity. He was also conferred ‘Guardian of the Blue Horizon’, the highest distinction of the country for leadership in environmental conservation and sustainable development. This comes as the prime minister visited the archipelago for a three-day trip, during which he held bilateral talks with Seychelles President Patrick Herminie.
Speaking at a press briefing, PM Modi said, “We believe the Indian Ocean is our shared home; its security, sustainability, and prosperity are our shared responsibility. This sentiment forms the foundation of our MAHASAGAR vision. The joint vision issued during the President's visit to India in February of this year has laid the blueprint for our future partnership. Building upon this, our cooperation across all sectors is strengthening.”
Speaking about his delegation-level talks with Herminie, he added, “Today, we discussed making our economic cooperation more resilient and future-ready. We will continue to explore new opportunities for the industries of both our nations. Efforts will also be made to enhance connectivity between India and Seychelles; this will not only boost our trade but also strengthen ties with East Africa and the Indian Ocean region.”
PM Modi also announced an MoU being signed today to implement UPI in Seychelles. “We believe that digital technology is an effective means to bridge the distance between our two countries. We will share India’s successful experiences in digital public infrastructure with Seychelles,” he said.
Speaking about the ties between the countries, PM Modi said, “The true strength of India-Seychelles relations lies in our people-to-people ties. Our discussions today will further strengthen this bond. We will take institutional steps to enhance cooperation between the sportspeople and athletes of both nations. The popularity of Yoga and the Indian film industry in Seychelles reflects our cultural connection. In this spirit, we will continue our efforts to foster greater interaction among the people of both countries, especially the youth…”
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The Prime Minister also highlighted expanding cooperation in healthcare, clean energy, space, defence and the blue economy. He said an agreement on the Jan Aushadhi initiative would improve access to affordable medicines in Seychelles, while India would continue supporting capacity building in the country's healthcare sector. He also announced greater collaboration in green hydrogen, ocean observation, marine science and coastal management, alongside a new space cooperation agreement.
Herminie also announced agreements covering foreign service cooperation, digital banking, health, agriculture, extradition, space exploration and the construction of a new Seychelles National Hospital. He described the visit as a landmark in bilateral relations, saying the decisions taken would shape the next phase of cooperation between the two nations.
