Canberra: India has increasingly positioned itself as a “preferred partner” for climate-vulnerable island nations like Seychelles through its island diplomacy, while enhancing maritime security cooperation and advancing climate resilience efforts. By accelerating support for Seychelles’ security and blue economy, India is seeking to balance geopolitical interests with local legitimacy, a report has stated.
A report in the Australian Institute of International Affairs detailed that small island nations have gained renewed strategic attention in Indo-Pacific geopolitics, and that the 50 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Seychelles coincided with the recent maiden state visit of the new Seychellean President, Patrick Herminie, to India, and reflected the intensifying maritime competition in the Western Indian Ocean.
It added that it also signalled Seychelles’ growing role in India’s Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions (MAHASAGAR) vision through the announcement of a joint vision for Sustainability, Economic Growth and Security through Enhanced Linkages (SESEL) and a Special Economic Package of USD 175 million to advance maritime security and sustainable development.
According to the report, as India and Seychelles mark five decades of diplomatic relations, shared priorities in maritime security, development cooperation and climate resilience continue to shape New Delhi’s island diplomacy with Victoria.
It noted that Seychelles’ vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which is significantly larger than its land territory, leaves it vulnerable to Somali pirate attacks, making enhanced maritime surveillance and robust counter-piracy laws a matter of national interest.
In practice, the piracy threat cannot be effectively contained without multilateral cooperation involving key regional stakeholders – thereby underscoring the significance of India’s strategic role in the region.
The report mentioned that in response, the Indian Navy has maintained a continuous mission-based deployment in the Gulf of Aden, in a joint effort with anti-piracy escorts along international transit corridors. It further strengthens India’s operational reach, securing the Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOCs) as a net security provider. Consequently, India has developed its Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region initiative to better understand, improve, and share real-time maritime information, thus building reliability among partner countries.
It further stated that strategically, the naval interoperability between India and Seychelles is enhanced through initiatives that help address challenges to maritime governance, thus building a cooperative security architecture. The patrol vessels, Dornier aircraft, and training of naval personnel of the Republic of Seychelles institutionalise mutual trust without reliance on formal alliances.
The report noted that while China offers Seychelles rapid infrastructure development through centrally financed projects, such initiatives are often executed by state-owned enterprises with limited participation from local businesses, creating dependency and increasing Beijing’s strategic influence.
In contrast, it said, India’s partnership-driven approach is focused on strengthening local institutions and human resource capacity under the framework of South-South cooperation, offering Seychelles long-term self-reliance.
(IANS)
