Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday underscored Seychelles’ strategic maritime importance, describing it as ‘not a small island state but a large ocean country’ during his special address at the National Assembly of Seychelles as part of his state visit to the archipelagic nation.
“Your maritime domain extends across nearly 1.4 million square kilometres. This makes Seychelles not a small island state but a large ocean country. Long before the blue economy became a part of global discussions, Seychelles was already leading the way,” PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister said Seychelles has helped shape global discussions on protecting marine ecosystems and advancing innovations such as blue bonds.
“When people look at a map, they may see Seychelles as a group of islands in the Indian Ocean. But we see something much greater. We see a nation whose horizons stretch far beyond its shores,” he said.
Highlighting the impact of climate change on island nations and the Global South, PM Modi stressed, “Climate action must be guided by fairness, responsibility, and equity. This is the essence of climate justice.”
The Prime Minister also outlined India’s environmental initiatives, including Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), the International Solar Alliance (ISA), the Coalition for Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), the Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA), and ‘Ek Ped Maa Kee Naam’.
PM Modi congratulated Seychelles on the 50th anniversary of its Independence and reaffirmed the close partnership between the two countries based on shared values, people-to-people ties and mutual trust.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the Prime Minister underscored Seychelles’ place in India’s Vision MAHASAGAR, reaffirmed India’s commitment to the Global South, and called for deeper cooperation in security, sustainability, human development and parliamentary exchanges.
The address marked the 20th Parliament addressed by PM Modi.
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