Why Seychelles Matters To India

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s state visit to Seychelles on June 27–29, 2026, marked a watershed moment in India’s foreign policy, celebrating 50 years of bilateral diplomatic relations. As the Guest of Honour for Seychelles' 50th National Day, Modi’s visit anchored India’s overarching Vision MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions), cementing deep-rooted maritime, strategic, and development partnerships in the Indian Ocean Region. Modi became the very first Indian PM to address the National Assembly of Seychelles and was honoured with Seychelles' special presidential distinction, "Guardian of the Blue Horizon". Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean. Its total landmass is about 459 square km, making it the smallest country in Africa by land area. The population of Seychelles is just around 125,000. Seychelles seeks closer ties with India to bolster its maritime security, safeguard its vast 1.3-million-square-km Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and combat transnational crimes like piracy and illegal fishing. The archipelago nation relies on India for critical infrastructure development, economic support, and deep-rooted historical and people-to-people connections. On the other hand, Seychelles is critically important to India for its strategic location, maritime security in the Indian Ocean, and deep cultural ties. As India commemorates 50 years of diplomatic relations with the archipelago, this partnership remains a cornerstone of New Delhi's maritime strategy. Key reasons why Seychelles matters to India include:Strategic location: Seychelles is located near vital Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs) in the western Indian Ocean. These maritime highways connect East Africa, West Asia, and Asia, making them essential for global trade and India's energy security.Geopolitical influence: The region is a key theatre for geopolitical influence. By partnering with Seychelles, India secures a vital foothold to balance China's expanding maritime infrastructure, ports, and naval activities across the Indo-Pacific. Maritime security: Although its area is quite small, Seychelles has a massive EEZ of over 1.3 million square km. India assists the island nation in monitoring this vast domain to combat piracy, drug trafficking, and illegal fishing. The two countries routinely conduct joint military drills like Exercise LAMITYE and collaborate via a chain of coastal radar stations that feed critical intelligence to the Indian Navy. Economic ties: Seychelles serves as a vital economic gateway to the African littoral coastline for Indian commercial entities. India is a primary trading partner, supplying the island nation with essential commodities like pharmaceuticals, rice, and transport equipment. Diaspora and cultural bonds: The historical connection is profound; about 8-9% of the Seychellois population is of Indian origin. Primarily tracing their roots to Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, they are highly integrated into the local economy, dominating retail trade, construction, education, and health care. This diaspora forms a strong cultural bridge, bolstering India's soft power and ensuring deep, people-centric goodwill.The visit served to operationalise India’s Vision MAHASAGAR which positions India as a net security provider and preferred economic partner in the Global South. Building upon momentum from earlier in the year when Seychelles President Patrick Herminie visited India, Modi announced a robust $175 million special economic and development package. This package, consisting of $ 125 million as Line of Credit and $ 50 million in grant assistance, targets vital sectors including social housing, e-mobility, health services, and digital cooperation. During the visit, discussions emphasised joint surveillance, anti-piracy operations, and regional maritime domain awareness. Modi officially handed over the Fast Patrol Vessel PS Lespwar, along with six ambulances, ten utility vehicles, and five laser radial boats to bolster Seychelles' coastal security and maritime surveillance, a move directly aimed at bolstering the island nation's ability to patrol its sprawling EEZ against illegal fishing, trafficking, and piracy. In his address to National Assembly, Modi articulated a clear vision where the Indian Ocean is viewed as an Ocean of Opportunity rather than a theatre of dominance, asserting that India’s partnerships are built on mutual trust and respect rather than the size of the nations involved. Both nations signed multiple Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs). These agreements expanded bilateral cooperation into cutting-edge domains such as AI, marine science, cyber security, and the integration of India's UPI payment systems, which promises to revolutionise digital transactions and boost the tourism-dependent local economy. India and Seychelles signed a bilateral extradition treaty to strengthen their legal framework against transnational crime and facilitate the extradition of fugitives. It is designed to combat transnational crime and provide a robust legal mechanism for bringing wanted individuals to justice across both borders. It focuses significantly on countering cross-border offenses, maritime piracy, and financial crimes in the strategically vital Indian Ocean region. The visit transformed historical goodwill into substantive, multi-sectoral cooperation. By intertwining Seychelles’ domestic growth priorities with India’s broader Indo-Pacific and MAHASAGAR strategies, the visit demonstrated that New Delhi’s commitment to Small Island Developing States (SIDS) remains a cornerstone of its foreign policy. As both nations look toward the next 50 years of diplomatic ties, the visit firmly established a model of partnership based on mutual development, maritime security, and ecological sustainability. (The views expressed are personal)This article is authored by Prabhu Dayal, former ambassador, New Delhi.