Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Seychelles' President Wavel Ramkalawan will hold a high-level virtual meet today and jointly inaugurate a number of Indian projects in the east African island nation. This will be Modi's first interaction with Ramkalawan, whose ancestral roots are from Gopalganj in Bihar.
Among the important projects would be the hand-over of a Fast Patrol Vessel to the Seychelles Coast Guard. The nearly 49-metre vessel, built by Kalkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders will help the country in strengthening maritime surveillance capabilities and aid in anti-smuggling, anti-poaching and search and rescue operations.
The Indian High Commission, @hci_seychelles, tweeted: "India to gift patrol vessel worth Rs 100 crore to Seychelles during PM Modi-President Ramkalawan virtual meet."
India has already delivered the fully-equipped patrol vessel as a gift to Seychelles. It will be virtually inaugurated and officially handed over today at the high-level meet. India has earlier gifted three more vessels to Seychelles.
India, which has been increasing development aid to friendly countries, will also hand over ten High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) to the nation. The projects have been implemented by the Indian High Commission in collaboration with local bodies, educational and vocational institutions.
In a press release, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, said: "Seychelles occupies a central place in the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘SAGAR’ – ‘Security and Growth for All in the Region’. The inauguration of these key projects demonstrates India’s privileged and time-tested role as a reliable partner of Seychelles for meeting its infrastructural, developmental and security requirements and is a testimony to the deep and friendly ties between the people of India and Seychelles."
India will also hand-over a one MW Solar Power Plant at Romainville Island. The plant has been completed as part of the ‘Solar PV Democratization Project’ being implemented in Seychelles by the Indian government. The solar plant will generate around 14 lakh units of power annually, providing power to nearly 400 households all through the year.
The two Heads of States will jointly inaugurate the new Magistrates’ Court Building, in Seychelles capital city of Victoria. The Seychellean capital is located on its largest island Mahe and this building will coalesce several courts that are spread across Mahé into a single building. The court building consists of eight courtrooms, waiting areas for the public, parking space, multi-functional conference rooms and other facilities.
Over the past few years India has been reaching out to countries in the Indian Ocean with a view to propping up security in the region. India is strengthening security in the region with like-minded nations in order to curb narcotics smuggling, illegal fishing, and keep an eye on growing Chinese presence. India had recently held a tri-lateral ministerial dialogue in Colombo with Maldives and Sri Lanka.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishanker had visited Seychelles in November 2020, soon after Ramkalawan took charge as President in October 2020. Modi too visited Seychelles in 2015 – the first Prime Ministerial visit from India in 33 years.
Ramkalawan, an ordained minister in the Anglican Church, came into politics through his work as a priest. He has earlier visited India in January 2018 as a part of the People of Indian Origin (PIO) Parliamentarian’s Conference and took the opportunity to visit his native village ‘Parsauni’ in Gopalganj.
The Modi Ramkalawan virtual meet will take place on Thursday at 5pm.
