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S Jaishankar additionally visited Bahrain as a part of this three-nation tour which started on Tuesday. (File)
Victoria:
India has vowed to additional improve its strategic partnership with Seychelles within the post-COVID period as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held high-level talks with the nation’s prime management right here throughout his two-day go to to the important thing Indian Ocean nation.
S Jaishankar, who arrived from the United Arab Emirates, additionally visited Bahrain as a part of this three-nation tour which started on Tuesday.
During his go to, he referred to as on Seychelles’ newly-elected Indian-origin President Wavel Ramkalawan on Friday and congratulated him on his current electoral victory.
S Jaishankar and Wavel Ramkalawan mentioned the historic neighbourly relationship strengthened by a shared perception in values of democracy and rule of legislation.
He “iterated India’s resolve to further enhance the India-Seychelles strategic partnership in the post-COVID era,” the Ministry of External Affairs stated in an announcement on Saturday.
The minister additionally “spoke of the centrality of Seychelles to India’s vision of SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region) that characterised India’s policy towards the Indian Ocean Region. As a neighbour across waters, Seychelles was very much a part of the Neighbourhood First policy as well,” it stated.
S Jaishankar additionally carried a private message from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and conveyed an invite from the Indian management to the Seychelles President to go to India in 2021.
“Discussed our close security cooperation, strong development partnership and long-standing people-to-people contacts,” S Jaishankar stated in a tweet after the assembly with Wavel Ramkalawan.
“Assured him that Seychelles had a particular priority, both under the Neighbourhood First policy and the SAGAR outlook. Look forward to further strengthening our ties under his leadership,” he stated.
The minister additionally recalled Wavel Ramkalawan’s go to to India in January 2018 and expressed the arrogance that underneath his management, the shut ties between the 2 nations would develop even additional, it stated.
President Ramkalwan appreciated the help supplied by India through the pandemic within the type of medical provides and significant medication and valued the event and safety partnership between the 2 nations. He additionally spoke of its optimistic influence on nation-building in Seychelles.
S Jaishankar emphasised India’s dedication to help the pursuits and aspirations of Seychelles and take this cooperation to a better degree.
The discussions underscored the necessity to additional develop and deepen bilateral engagement, and to coordinate and cooperate to counter the challenges introduced by the COVID-19 pandemic, in response to the press launch.
They confused the necessity to strengthen shared efforts to fight drug trafficking, IUU (Illegal, unreported and unregulated) fishing, piracy and local weather change whereas defending the ocean ecosystem. They additionally talked about a variety of regional points that impacted on their respective pursuits.
S Jaishankar additionally met Seychelles’ Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism Sylvestre Radegonde and mentioned varied elements of bilateral relations together with growth partnership, capability constructing, defence cooperation, folks to folks and cultural ties, commerce, tourism and commerce and well being, it stated.
S Jaishankar’s go to assumes significance as India is creating infrastructure within the nation to develop its footprint within the strategically-key area within the Indian Ocean the place China has been making an attempt to boost its army presence.
Indian-origin President Wavel Ramkalawan gained the presidential election on October 25 this 12 months, the primary such victory for an Opposition candidate since Independence.
Born in Mahe, the principal island of Seychelles, Wavel Ramkalawan was ordained as a priest in 1985 following theological research at St Paul’s Theological College in Mauritius, and thereafter at Birmingham University. His grandfather was from Bihar.
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