PM Modi Returns to Seychelles After 11 Years, Here's Why the Visit Matters

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Seychelles for a three-day state visit marking 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. His first visit to the island nation since 2015 comes months after India unveiled its MAHASAGAR maritime doctrine, announced a $175 million assistance package, and elevated Seychelles' role in its Indian Ocean strategy, even as Victoria continues to deepen ties with multiple partners, including China.

Modi arrived in Victoria on Saturday, where he will attend the country's Golden Jubilee National Day celebrations as Guest of Honour and hold talks with President Patrick Herminie on defence, maritime security, development cooperation and regional issues.

The visit comes four months after India announced a $175 million Special Economic Package for Seychelles and adopted a joint vision document placing the island nation at the centre of New Delhi's new maritime doctrine, MAHASAGAR. It also coincides with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Seychelles.

Notably, it is Modi's first visit to Seychelles in 11 years, only the second by an Indian Prime Minister since 1981, and comes as India seeks to expand its engagement with strategically located island nations across the Indian Ocean while Seychelles continues to maintain longstanding relations with multiple global partners, including China.

Why Has Modi Returned After 11 Years?

His last trip in March 2015 itself ended a 34-year gap since the previous Prime Ministerial visit. During that visit, India and Seychelles signed four agreements, inaugurated the Coastal Surveillance Radar System and announced the gifting of a Dornier maritime surveillance aircraft.

Since then, bilateral ties have continued through defence cooperation, development assistance and high-level exchanges, but Prime Ministerial engagement remained absent until this year.

The momentum accelerated in 2026.

President Patrick Herminie paid a state visit to India in February, during which both sides adopted the SESEL Joint Vision framework and signed seven MoU's covering areas including maritime security, digital cooperation, blue economy, education and capacity building. India also announced a $175 million Special Economic Package comprising a $125 million rupee-denominated Line of Credit and $50 million in grant assistance, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Four months later, Modi has travelled to Victoria at President Herminie's invitation to participate in Seychelles' National Day celebrations and review the implementation of those commitments.

What Is MAHASAGAR?

The visit also marks one of the earliest high-level engagements under India's Vision MAHASAGAR - Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions, unveiled by Modi in March 2025.

MAHASAGAR expands India's earlier Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) doctrine beyond the Indian Ocean Region to a broader framework for engagement with the Global South through maritime security, development partnerships, technology cooperation and capacity building.

Under the SESEL Joint Vision adopted in February, Seychelles was identified as a key partner in implementing MAHASAGAR. The framework outlines cooperation across maritime security, defence, blue economy, digital public infrastructure, disaster resilience, healthcare, education and connectivity, supported by concessional financing and technical assistance.

The $175 million assistance package announced during President Herminie's visit represents the largest recent financial commitment made by India to Seychelles under this framework.

Why Seychelles Matters

Although home to fewer than 120,000 people, Seychelles occupies a strategically important position in the western Indian Ocean.

The country oversees an Exclusive Economic Zone of approximately 1.3 million sq km, located along sea lanes linking the Gulf, eastern Africa and South and Southeast Asia. These waters form part of major international shipping routes carrying energy supplies and commercial trade.

For India, Seychelles has long been an important maritime partner in monitoring piracy, illegal fishing and other non-traditional security challenges in the western Indian Ocean.

India has supplied two Dornier maritime surveillance aircraft, established a Coastal Surveillance Radar System across Seychelles' outer islands and continues to support maritime domain awareness through technical cooperation. The Joint Vision adopted this year also includes the establishment of a Seychelles Hydrographic Unit with Indian assistance and plans for a joint consultative meeting on hydrography in 2026, according to the MEA.

Indian military participation in Seychelles' National Day celebrations has continued since the country's independence in 1976, when INS Nilgiri represented India during the celebrations.

Seychelles' Relations with India and China

Modi's visit also comes as Seychelles marks 50 years of diplomatic relations with China.

Earlier this month, Seychelles hosted commemorative events celebrating the anniversary of diplomatic ties with Beijing, attended by senior government representatives from both countries. The celebrations highlighted China's longstanding engagement with Seychelles through political exchanges, development cooperation and cultural partnerships.

India and China have historically maintained different areas of engagement with Seychelles.

India's relationship has centred largely on maritime security, defence cooperation, training, hydrography, capacity building and development assistance, while China has also maintained economic, infrastructure and diplomatic engagement with the island nation.

Like many small island developing states, Seychelles has maintained partnerships with multiple countries as part of its foreign policy while balancing economic development priorities with strategic considerations.

The Indian Ocean Context

India's engagement with Seychelles forms part of a broader strategy towards Indian Ocean island nations, including Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Over the past decade, New Delhi has expanded development assistance, infrastructure financing and maritime cooperation with these countries as part of its regional outreach.

Political developments have also demonstrated the importance of sustained engagement. In the Maldives, the "India Out" campaign brought domestic political attention to India's presence in the country and was followed by a recalibration of bilateral ties after a change in government. The developments underscored how domestic politics in strategically located island nations can influence regional partnerships.

Within this broader context, MAHASAGAR seeks to institutionalise India's engagement through long-term development partnerships, maritime cooperation and financial assistance across the Indian Ocean.

The Economic Relationship

Trade between India and Seychelles remains modest but has grown steadily.

According to DD India, bilateral goods trade reached $84.88 million in 2023–24, a 15 per cent increase over the previous year, with Indian exports accounting for $76.19 million. Between April 2024 and February 2025, bilateral trade stood at $72.92 million.

The $175 million assistance package announced in February is expected to complement ongoing cooperation in infrastructure, capacity building and development projects.

What Will Happen During the Visit?

During the visit, Modi is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with President Patrick Herminie, address the Seychelles National Assembly and interact with members of the Indian diaspora.

The discussions are expected to review progress under the SESEL Joint Vision, expand cooperation in maritime security, defence, development, blue economy and digital public infrastructure, and strengthen collaboration under MAHASAGAR.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had earlier met Seychellois Foreign Minister Barry Faure on the sidelines of the 9th Indian Ocean Conference in Mauritius, where both sides reviewed bilateral cooperation and discussed India's continued support for Seychelles' economic priorities, according to the MEA.

Modi's visit brings together several developments that have unfolded over the past year. For India, the visit provides an opportunity to advance recently announced initiatives through high-level political engagement while reinforcing cooperation in maritime security, development financing and regional connectivity in the western Indian Ocean.