Passage of 50 years has not changed our commitment to one another: PM Modi in Seychelles’ parliament

Victoria: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the passage of 50 years of diplomatic relations has not changed the mutual commitment between India and Seychelles.

“This year offers a powerful reminder of the depth of our partnership. Fifty years ago, at the dawn of your independence, an Indian naval ship, INS Nilgiri, was present in Port Victoria as a mark of friendship and solidarity. And today, INS Tarkash and INS Ikshak are docked at Port Victoria to celebrate the Golden Jubilee with you. The passage of 50 years has changed many things, but it has not changed our commitment to one another,” PM Modi highlighted in his special address to the National Assembly of the Seychelles as part of his state visit to the archipelagic island.

He said that for decades, the defence forces, Coast Guards, and maritime agencies of both nations have trained and worked closely together and that India deeply values the professionalism and dedication of the Seychelles Defence Forces and the Seychelles Coast Guard.

“They play a vital role in safeguarding your own vast maritime domain as well as the wider Indian Ocean region (IOR),” he stressed.

According to him, the cooperation in maritime security, capacity building, hydrography, and maritime domain awareness reflects India and Seychelles’ shared commitment to a safer and more secure region.

“The prosperity of one contributes to the prosperity of the other. And the stability of the region benefits us all,” the Prime Minister noted during his address.It is a special honour to stand before you as the first Indian Prime Minister to address this National Assembly,”

“Our vision is captured in the idea of MAHASAGAR, or Mutual And Holistic Advancement for Security And Growth Across Regions. This vision recognises that our futures are interconnected and interdependent. And we will continue to work together for a safer and more secure Indian Ocean region,” he added.

At the commencement, he said that it was a “special honour to stand before you as the first Indian Prime Minister to address this National Assembly”.

He also noted that the first country in the Indian Ocean region that he visited as Prime Minister was Seychelles in 2015.

This is the 20th parliament which PM Modi has addressed. Soon after assuming office in 2014, he addressed the Parliaments of Bhutan, Nepal, Australia and Fiji.

The following year, he addressed the National Assembly of Mauritius, the Parliaments of Sri Lanka, Mongolia, the UK, and Afghanistan.

The journey continued with Prime Minister Modi’s address to the United States Congress in 2016, followed by a second address in 2023, making him the first Indian Prime Minister to address a Joint Session of the US Congress twice.

He also addressed the Parliaments of Uganda in 2018, the Maldives in 2019 and Guyana in 2024.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi and Seychelles President Patrick Herminie met and reviewed the ‘remarkable’ progress achieved in the India-Seychelles partnership.

IANS