Victoria, Oct 26 (IANS) Vice President CP Radhakrishnan arrived in Seychelles on Sunday, for two-day visit to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Patrick Herminie. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that Radhakrishnan will begin his engagements in Seychelles with an address to the Indian community. "Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan has arrived in Seychelles on a 2-day visit. VP’s series of engagements begin with an address to the Indian community followed by attending the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Mr. Patrick Herminie," Jaiswal posted on X.

During the visit, Vice President Radhakrishnan will convey India’s warm wishes to Herminie and reaffirm the close, longstanding, and time-tested ties between the two countries, according to MEA statement. "Seychelles is an important partner under India's Vision MAHASAGAR and in our commitment to the Global South. The visit underscores India's deep commitment to further strengthen and expand its partnership with Seychelles," read a statement issued by the MEA. India's bilateral engagement with Seychelles is characterised by New Delhi's historical contacts and continuous support to Seychelles for its security. India-Seychelles relations embody close friendship, understanding and cooperation.

"It was in the year 1770 that a small group of five Indians landed in Seychelles as plantation workers along with seven African slaves and 15 French colonists, and were recorded as the first inhabitants of the Islands," the MEA states. Regular trade links facilitated the migration of an Indian trading community looking for greener pastures, having reached a saturation point in East Africa. Notably, the diplomatic ties between India and Seychelles were established after the country's independence in 1976. When Seychelles attained freedom on June 26, 1976, a contingent from the Indian Naval Ship, INS Nilgiri, took part in the Independence Day celebrations.

The Indian Mission was established in 1979 in Victoria, with the High Commissioner based in Dar-es-Salaam and concurrently accredited to Seychelles. The first resident High Commissioner was appointed in 1987, while Seychelles opened its resident mission in New Delhi in early 2008. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Seychelles in March 2015, the first by an Indian PM in 34 years, four significant agreements/Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) were signed, including the inauguration of the Coastal Surveillance Radar System (CRS) Project, announcements of gifting of a second Dornier aircraft to Seychelles and a three-month gratis visa for Seychelles nationals for travel to India.