Virtual meeting between the Indian Prime Minister and the newly elected President of Seychelles of Indian origin
Recently Indian Prime Minister and President of Seychelles, Wavell Ramkhelavan, attended a high-level event organized virtually. In this event, the two leaders jointly inaugurated a new Magistrate Court building in Seychelles.
It is to be noted that Seychelles has a central place in the Prime Minister’s concept of “SAGAR” (Security and Growth for All in the Region)
Seychelles has been given, a 50-m fast patrol vessel (Fast Patrol Vessel) and a solar power plant with a capacity of one MW by India. Along with this, several Indian projects have also been inaugurated jointly in Seychelles.
Implications of fast patrol vessel given by India:
- India gifted Seychelles a indigenously built Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) for anti-smuggling and search and rescue operations of Rs. 100 crore.
- It has been built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineering, which is 4.9 meters in length and can cover 1500 nautical miles with a speed of 35 knots.
- Because India is committed to the security and development of the Indian Ocean, India is looking at a strategy to encircle China in the Indian Ocean through this ship.
- The objective of India delivering this ship is to strengthen maritime security through aircraft and patrol vessels.
- It can also be used in operations of anti-smuggling, patrolling and anti-poaching apart from search and rescue.
- This is the fourth ship of its kind to be given to Seychelles, which is completely built in India. The first patrol vessel was given in the year
- India is building a military base in Seychelles at a cost of $ 550 Through this army base, India can keep an eye on the Mozambique Channel.
Programs launched by India in Seychelles
- The new building of the magistrate in Mahe, Seychelles has also been inaugurated with a grant of $ 5 million from India. The new court building is India’s first major project on civil infrastructure in Seychelles.
- India has supplied 50,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by India along with essential medicines to Seychelles. Seychelles is the first African country to receive COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by India.
- The Government of India, under grant-in-aid, is running a program called ‘Solar PV Demonstration Project’ in Seychelles, under which the Government of India will set up a solar power plant in Seychelles.
- Under this program, India has built a 1 MW solar power plant (ground-mounted solar power plant) located on Romainville Island, Seychelles.
Source – PIB
