'Made in India' on the High Seas: Modi Hands Warship to Seychelles, Set to Address National Assembly

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday arrived in Victoria on a three-day State Visit to Seychelles, receiving a ceremonial Guard of Honour at the Seychelles International Airport where he was welcomed by President Dr. Patrick Herminie and a high-level delegation. The visit, running from June 27 to 29 , coincides with a twin milestone: Seychelles' Golden Jubilee National Day marking 50 years of independence, and five decades of diplomatic relations between India and the archipelago nation.

The first day of the visit saw a significant defence gesture at the Seychelles Coast Guard Base in Victoria, where Modi handed over a fleet of Made-in-India military and humanitarian assets to President Herminie. The Prime Minister handed over the Fast Patrol Vessel PS Lespwar , built by Goa Shipyard Limited , along with six ambulances , 10 utility vehicles and five laser radial boats to strengthen Seychelles' maritime surveillance and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) patrol capabilities. The Ministry of External Affairs described the handover as a symbol of the two nations being "together as partners, stronger as one." The PS Lespwar is the latest in a long line of Indian defence transfers to Seychelles that have included Dornier surveillance aircraft, coastal radar systems and earlier patrol vessels.

The handover underscored the depth of a security partnership that has grown steadily over two decades. The 11th edition of the bilateral tri-service exercise Lamitye , Creole for "friendship", was held in Victoria from March 9 to 20, 2026, marking the first time the exercise was conducted in a tri-service format. A contingent of the Indian Armed Forces and two Indian Navy ships are also participating in the Golden Jubilee National Day celebrations as a further signal of the defence relationship.

The visit builds on the momentum generated by President Herminie's State Visit to New Delhi in February 2026. During that visit, both sides adopted the SESEL Joint Vision framework and signed seven MoUs covering maritime security, digital cooperation, the 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. Modi's current visit is expected to review the implementation of those commitments and advance new areas of cooperation including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digital public infrastructure.

Modi, attending the National Day celebrations as Guest of Honour , his first visit to Seychelles since 2015 and only the second by an Indian Prime Minister since 1981, is also set to become the first Indian Prime Minister to address the National Assembly of Seychelles at an extraordinary session of the legislature. He is scheduled to meet members of the Indian diaspora on June 28 and visit the Navasakti Vinayagar Temple on June 29. The Indian community of roughly 15,000, largely of Gujarati and Tamil descent, accounts for nearly 12 per cent of Seychelles' population of 1,33,000 and had draped the capital Victoria in festive welcome banners reading "Byenveni Modi" ahead of his arrival.

Seychelles 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, making its partnership with India a cornerstone of New Delhi's Vision MAHASAGAR , Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions, and its broader Indian Ocean strategy.