PM Modi emplanes for Seychelles, to attend nation's Golden Jubilee celebrations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday emplaned for Seychelles on a two-day official visit, where he will attend the country's Golden Jubilee celebrations commemorating 50 years of independence.

The visit underscores India's commitment to deepening its strategic partnership with the Indian Ocean nation and comes amid New Delhi's continued efforts to strengthen engagement with countries in the Indo-Pacific region.

Before departing, Prime Minister Modi said India and Seychelles share a relationship built on mutual trust, shared democratic values and close people-to-people ties. He noted that the visit would provide an opportunity to reaffirm India's commitment to its maritime neighbour and explore new avenues of cooperation.

During the visit, Modi is expected to participate as the Guest of Honour at the Golden Jubilee celebrations in Victoria, the capital of Seychelles. The commemorative events will mark 50 years since the island nation attained independence and are expected to feature cultural programmes, ceremonial parades and the participation of several international dignitaries.

The Prime Minister is also scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Seychelles President Wavel Ramkalawan and other senior leaders. Discussions are likely to focus on enhancing cooperation in maritime security, defence, blue economy, climate resilience, digital connectivity, healthcare, education and capacity building.

India and Seychelles have enjoyed strong diplomatic relations for decades, with New Delhi playing a key role in supporting the island nation through development assistance, infrastructure projects and humanitarian initiatives. India has also been a trusted partner in strengthening Seychelles' maritime surveillance capabilities and coastal security.

The visit is expected to review progress on ongoing bilateral projects while exploring new opportunities for collaboration under India's vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR), which places significant emphasis on cooperation with Indian Ocean countries.

Seychelles occupies a strategically important position in the western Indian Ocean, making it a key partner in India's broader Indo-Pacific strategy. Cooperation between the two countries has expanded in recent years across sectors such as renewable energy, disaster management, marine conservation and maritime domain awareness.

The Ministry of External Affairs has described the visit as an opportunity to reinforce the longstanding friendship between the two countries and further elevate their strategic partnership. Officials said both sides are expected to exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest.

Prime Minister Modi's visit also reflects India's continued diplomatic outreach to the Global South and its focus on strengthening partnerships with island nations through sustainable development initiatives and enhanced economic cooperation.

Following the official engagements, the Prime Minister is expected to return to India after concluding his bilateral meetings and participation in the Golden Jubilee celebrations.