Seychelles President’s Upcoming Visit Signals India’s Maritime Priorities In The Indian Ocean
Dr Patrick Herminie’s upcoming state visit underscores India’s focus on Indian Ocean island states as Vision MAHASAGAR reshapes New Delhi’s maritime and Global South strategy.
Published : February 4, 2026 at 7:45 PM IST
New Delhi:Seychelles President Dr Patrick Herminie’s state visit to India from February 5 to 10 comes at a time when New Delhi is sharpening its strategic focus on the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), amid growing geopolitical churn and contestation.
As a key maritime neighbour astride critical sea lanes, Seychelles occupies a central place in India’s evolving Vision MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions), underscoring the visit’s significance well beyond routine diplomatic engagement.
This will be Dr Herminie’s first visit to India after assuming office in October last year. He will also visit Chennai and Mumbai, where he will attend business events.
“Seychelles is a key maritime neighbour for India in the Indian Ocean region and holds a special place in India’s Vision MAHASAGAR and our commitment to the Global South,” a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs while announcing Dr Herminie’s visit reads.
President Dr Herminie’s visit coincides with half a century of diplomatic relations between India and Seychelles — a milestone that offers a platform to look forward and deepen cooperation across multiple fronts. The timing underlines the importance New Delhi attaches to Seychelles as a strategic maritime partner in the IOR.
Vision MAHASAGAR is New Delhi’s flagship outlook for fostering inclusive security, prosperity and connectivity across the Indian Ocean littoral states. Under this vision, India aims to enhance maritime domain awareness, strengthen security cooperation, support sustainable economic growth, and build resilient regional linkages.
Seychelles plays an outsized role in this framework due to its proximity to vital sea-lanes and vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) — making it a lynchpin in tracking maritime traffic, combating non-traditional security threats like piracy, and ensuring freedom of navigation in the IOR.
India and Seychelles have an elaborate architecture of defence and security cooperation that has deepened over the years, with the growing piracy menace and other economic offences in the strategic Indian Ocean region.
Two patrol boats, PS Topaz and PS Constant, were gifted by India to Seychelles in 2005 and 2014 respectively. Indian Coast Guard’s Fast Interceptor Boat C-405 (rechristened ‘PB Hermes’) was gifted to Seychelles in 2016 and its replacement vessel ‘PB Boudeuse’ was gifted and commissioned on February 25, 2025, in the presence of the President and Vice President of Seychelles. India gifted two Dornier maritime surveillance aircraft to Seychelles, first in 2013 and the second in June 2018.
India also gifted and installed six coastal surveillance radar systems in Seychelles in 2015, enabling better coastal security for Seychelles. These are now being repaired under Indian assistance. Ten editions of the India-Seychelles biennial joint military exercise ‘LAMITYE’ have been held – the latest one in Victoria in March 2024. India handed over Fast Patrol Vessel SCG PS Zoroaster to the Seychelles Coast Guard in April 2021. Two ceremonial guns and ammunition were also gifted on request of the Government of Seychelles in May 2022.
According to Ruchita Beri, Senior Fellow at the Vivekananda International Foundation think tank and an expert on Africa, enhancing India-Seychelles maritime cooperation will be on the cards during President Dr Herminie’s visit to India.
“Seychelles is strategically located,” Beri told ETV Bharat. “India has been keen on building greater maritime cooperation with Seychelles. Their security concerns with maritime issues like drug-trafficking, piracy, and terrorism converge with those of India.”
According to Samir Bhattacharya, Associate Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation think tank, the Assumption Island issue is expected to crop up during President Dr Herminie’s visit.
In 2015, India and Seychelles signed an agreement to jointly develop a naval facility on Assumption Island, aimed at boosting India’s maritime surveillance in the Mozambique Channel. However, the project has stalled due to political opposition in Seychelles regarding sovereignty concerns. While officially meant for joint anti-piracy operations, the initiative faces local resistance, leaving its future uncertain.
“During that time, India had a deal with the French territory of Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean t park its boats and ships,” Bhattacharya said. “In 2024, India opened its airstrip at Agalaega Island in Mauritius. Since Seychelles is in that region, it is important that the conversation on Assumption Island is revived.”
Another important aspect of bilateral cooperation revolves around various development assistance programmes extended to Seychelles under Indian Technical Economic Cooperation (ITEC), Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)and India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS). Over 1 percent of the Seychelles’ population form part of ITEC alumni who have benefited from various training courses under this programme. In the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmal Sitharaman on February 1, ₹19 crore has been allocated for developmental aid to Seychelles.
In a joint e-inauguration ceremony by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then Seychelles President Wavel Ramkalawan, in April 2021, India handed over 10 High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) in addition to Solar PV Systems Project in Seychelles built under Government of India grant assistance of $3.5 Million.
These included roof-top solar panels on government buildings, 300 KW solar rooftop system for people in Seychelles, and a 1 MW ground mounted solar power plant at Romainville Island. India also handed over Magistrates court building built under a Government of Inia grant of $3.45 Million. In July 2023, India gifted four methadone vans to Seychelles to assist in the country’s drug mitigation efforts.
A total of 28 HICDPs have been undertaken in Seychelles in Phase-I. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) for Phase-II of the projects was signed during the visit of then Seychelles Foreign Minister Sylvestre Radegonde to India in 2023 and the projects are at identification and commencement stage.
According to Beri, blue economy will be an important area of discussion during Dr Herminie’s visit. A Blue Economy Protocol between India and Seychelles was signed in August 2015. The two countries have been supportive of each other’s position in the international fora on issues related to climate change.
“Seychelles is one of the few countries in Africa that has blue economy as a priority in its national policy,” Beri said. “In terms of development cooperation, blue economy will be an area of cooperation between India and Seychelles.”
During the course of his visit, Dr Herminie will also visit Chennai and Mumbai to attend business events. However, the fact of the matter is that India-Seychelles bilateral trade is rather modest mostly due to the absence of a direct shipping line between India and Seychelles, according to a bilateral brief on the website of the Indian High Commission in Seychelles.
As of now, Seychelles’ main items of import from India are rice, miscellaneous food products, cement, linen, cotton, vehicles and associated transport equipment, medicines, instruments and appliances for medical, surgical and dental use. India exported goods worth $76.19 million and imported goods worth $8.69 million from Seychelles during 2023-24 (increase of 14.96 percent in total trade from 2022-23). In 2024-25, bilateral trade has remained steady with total trade amounting to $72.92 million in the April 2024 to February 2025 period.
According to Bhattacharya, President Dr Herminie being a medical professional, there might be talks on investments in the pharmaceutical sector and in education. “Tourism is another area of cooperation,” Bhattacharya said. “Seychelles can be a good alternative to the Maldives. There should be direct and regular air links between India and Seychelles.”
Beri concurred saying that connectivity has always been a problem with African countries. “There should be better air connectivity,” she said. “That will encourage trade.” Historical, cultural, and diaspora links contribute to a broader foundation of trust and friendship between India and Seychelles.
The number of persons of Indian origin (PIOs) with Seychelles citizenship is estimated to be around 5,000, which is significant in a country with a total population of about 120,000. The PIO community is visible in all walks of life and is well known for its professionalism and hard-work. They dominate the trading and construction sectors. There are also over 7,000 NRIs holding gainful employment permits, who are mostly workers in the construction sector, shop assistants and a few professionals.
To sum up, President Dr Herminie’s visit is expected to reinforce Seychelles’ role in India’s Vision MAHASAGAR for a secure and prosperous Indian Ocean. It will highlight cooperation on regional and global issues, including climate action and Global South priorities. Strengthening people-to-people relations and cultural ties can also be expected.
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