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At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Patrick Herminie, the President of the Republic of Seychelles, will undertake a State Visit to India from February 5 to 10.
This will be President Herminie's first visit to India since assuming office last October. The visit coincides with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. During his visit to India, President Herminie will meet the President and hold discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on bilateral, regional, and international issues of mutual interest. President Herminie will also visit Chennai and Mumbai where he would be attending 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 (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) and our commitment to the Global South," the official MEA brief said. "The visit of President Herminie to India, following the visit of the Vice President of India to Seychelles in October 2025, is expected to lend further momentum to wide-ranging cooperation and robust people to people ties between the two countries," the statement read further. India's bilateral engagement with Seychelles is characterized by our historical contacts and continuous support to Seychelles for its security. Today, India-Seychelles relations embody close friendship, understanding and cooperation. It was in the year 1770 that a small group of five Indians landed in Seychelles as plantation workers along with seven African slaves and 15 French colonists, and were recorded as the first inhabitants of the Islands. During the British colonial period, Seychelles was governed from the Bombay Presidency for some time, with regular shipping links and flow of goods and essential commodities from India. These trade links facilitated migration of an Indian trading community looking for greener pastures having reached a saturation point in East Africa. Diplomatic ties were established with Seychelles after its independence in 1976. When Seychelles attained freedom on 29th June 1976, a contingent from the Indian Naval Ship, INS Nilgiri, took part in the Independence Day celebrations. The Indian Mission was established in 1979 in Victoria, with the High Commissioner based in Dar-es-Salaam and concurrently accredited to Seychelles. The first resident High Commissioner was appointed in 1987, while Seychelles opened its resident mission in New Delhi in early 2008. (ANI)
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