India-Seychelles Relations

India-Seychelles Relations

Why in News? 

Recently, India has announced a new $175 million special economic package for Seychelles to deepen bilateral ties and support development projects and maritime security.

Highlights of the $175 Million Financial Package

• Package: India announced a $175 million Special Economic Package for Seychelles. This package comprises $125 million in a rupee‑denominated Line of Credit and $50 million in grant assistance, underscoring India’s commitment to development cooperation tailored to Seychelles’ national priorities. 
• Sectors: The financial assistance will support critical developmental sectors, including social housing, electric mobility (e‑mobility) for sustainable transportation, vocational training to enhance skills of youth and professionals, healthcare infrastructure and services, and defence and maritime security capabilities.
  • India will donate 1,000 metric tons of grains and pulses to strengthen food security in Seychelles and assist in refurbishing the PS Zoraster vessel for the Seychelles Coast Guard, enhancing coastal defence and surveillance operations. 
  • India will supply 10 ambulances and five Laser Radial‑class boats to bolster emergency response and maritime safety. 
  • Agreed to establish a Seychelles Hydrographic Unit with Indian support, which will significantly improve oceanographic mapping, maritime domain awareness, and support for the blue economy.
  • The package also incorporates capacity‑building initiatives, including training programmes for Seychelles’ civil servants and defence personnel in India, strengthening governance, administrative efficiency.
• MoUs: India and Seychelles signed a series of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) covering pharmacopoeial cooperation, technical and scientific collaboration, digital transformation, and ocean observation services, enabling deeper cooperation in science, technology, health, and digital governance. 
  • Both countries agreed to collaborate on access to affordable, quality medicines and institutional linkages for public health improvements, including support for building a new hospital in Seychelles.
  • They reinforces maritime cooperation through enhanced surveillance, joint training, and regional security collaboration to tackle piracy, illegal fishing, narcotics trafficking, and other transnational maritime threats.

India-Seychelles Bilateral Relations

• Diplomatic Foundation: Diplomatic ties were established in 1976 following Seychelles’ independence. Since then, the relationship has been nurtured by high-level visits, including Prime Minister Modi’s landmark 2015 visit. India remains a “first responder” for Seychelles, providing essential supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • An Indian Mission was first established in Victoria, Seychelles, in 1979. During this initial period, the High Commissioner was based in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, and held concurrent accreditation to Seychelles.
  • India’s first resident High Commissioner, Mrs. Chokila Iyer, was appointed and took office in Victoria in 1987.
  • Seychelles reciprocated by opening its own resident mission in New Delhi in early 2008. Mr. Dick Esparon served as its first High Commissioner. 
• Strategic Maritime Security Cooperation: India provides extensive support to the Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG) through the donation of naval vessels like the PS Zoroaster and fast interceptor boats. The deployment of Indian naval ships for EEZ surveillance helps Seychelles combat piracy, illegal fishing, and drug trafficking. Both nations also collaborate through the Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR).
• Development Assistance and Infrastructure: India has extended multiple Lines of Credit (LoC) totaling over USD 100 million for infrastructure. Key completed projects include the Seychelles Magistrates’ Court, a massive Social Housing project, and the 1-megawatt Solar Power Plant on Romainville Island. Current efforts focus on constructing a new Government House and a state-of-the-art Police Headquarters in Victoria.
• The Blue Economy and Environment: As a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), Seychelles views the Blue Economy as vital. India supports this through the Integrated Coastal Zone Management plan and hydrographic surveys. Both nations are founding members of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), focusing on renewable energy to mitigate the impacts of climate change and rising sea levels.
• Economic Trade and Commercial Ties: Bilateral trade is growing, with India exporting rice, pharmaceuticals, and machinery. In 2023-24, trade figures remained steady, supported by the presence of Indian banks like Bank of Baroda. India’s Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) with Seychelles also ensures transparent financial dealings and discourages tax evasion.
  • Bilateral trade is growing, with Indian exports to Seychelles reaching USD 96.5 million in 2024. In November 2025 alone, Indian exports rose by 25% year-on-year, reached approximately $73 million in the 2024-25 period. Major Indian exports include rice, medicines, and automobiles, while imports from Seychelles primarily consist of scrap metal.
  • Connectivity has been bolstered by direct flights between Mumbai and Mahé, which have significantly increased Indian tourist arrivals.
• Defense Training and Capacity Building: Capacity building is a major pillar, with Seychelles being a top beneficiary of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) program. Over 1,000 Seychellois officials have received training in India. Furthermore, the biennial military exercise LAMITIYE strengthens interoperability between the Indian Army and the Seychelles People’s Defence Forces.
• Digital Connectivity and Health: India’s “Digital India” expertise is being shared to help Seychelles build its e-governance framework. In healthcare, India has provided life-saving equipment and medicines. The Pan-African e-Network project also links Seychelles to Indian hospitals and universities, providing tele-medicine and tele-education services to the local population.
  • The SESEL Joint Vision for Sustainability, Economic Growth and Security through Enhanced Linkages sets a roadmap for future cooperation, encompassing digital transformation, ocean scientific research, meteorological collaboration, and cultural exchange programmes (2026–2030). 
• Cultural and Diaspora Links: The Indian Diaspora in Seychelles, comprising nearly 11% of the population, acts as a vital bridge. Cultural exchange is facilitated by the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture (IGCIC) in Mahé. Annual events like “Seychelles-India Day” celebrate this heritage, blending Indian traditions with the unique Creole culture.
  • In June 2018, during the first state visit of the President of Seychelles, Danny Faure, to India, a Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) was signed between India and Seychelles for the years 2018-2022. 

Significance of Seychelles for India

• Strategic Gateway to the Western Indian Ocean: Seychelles is located near some of the world’s most vital Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs). Its proximity to the global trade routes passing through the Bab-el-Mandeb and the Mozambique Channel makes it a critical monitoring point. For India, a presence here ensures the ability to protect trade interests and monitor the movements of extra-regional powers in the Western Indian Ocean.
• Pivot for the SAGAR Doctrine: Seychelles is a primary partner in India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) initiative. India views the archipelago as a central node for regional security cooperation. By positioning Seychelles as a key stakeholder, India projects itself as a net security provider, countering instability caused by non-traditional threats like maritime terrorism and narcotics smuggling.
• Counterbalancing Regional Influence: In the face of increasing Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean through the “String of Pearls” strategy, Seychelles serves as a strategic counterweight. India’s development of maritime infrastructure and the Assumption Island project (aimed at building an airstrip and naval pier) are vital for maintaining a balance of power and preventing any single hegemon from dominating the region.
• Hub for Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA): India has installed a Coastal Surveillance Radar (CSR) system across the Seychelles islands. This network is integrated with India’s Information Fusion Centre (IFC-IOR) in Gurugram. This data-sharing allows India to maintain a real-time tactical picture of the region, ensuring better tracking of dark shipping and illegal maritime activities.
• Laboratory for the Blue Economy: With an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of over 1.3 million square kilometers, Seychelles is a global leader in Blue Economy innovation. For India, collaborating with Seychelles provides access to research on sustainable fishing, deep-sea mining, and marine conservation. This partnership is essential for India’s own Deep Ocean Mission and future resource security.
• Institutional Influence and Multilateralism: Seychelles’ support is crucial for India in multilateral forums like the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS). As a full member of the Colombo Security Conclave, Seychelles amplifies India’s voice in regional decision-making, helping to shape a “rules-based order” that respects international maritime law (UNCLOS).