India-Seychelles ties built on friendship, not transactions: FS Misri
Synopsis
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s blunt answer — ‘friendship’ is all India seeks — framed a state visit that delivered a fast patrol vessel, ₹1,250 crore in credit, UPI infrastructure, cement, rice, ambulances, and paramedics. It is one of the most comprehensive single-visit assistance packages India has extended to a small island nation, and it maps directly onto New Delhi’s strategic push to anchor influence across the Indian Ocean.
Key Takeaways
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri described India-Seychelles ties as based on ‘respect, trust and friendship’ — not transactional — on 28 June during PM Modi’s state visit to Victoria .
India gifted the Fast Patrol Vessel PS Lespwar , 10 utility vehicles , 5 Laser Radial class boats , and 6 ambulances to Seychelles.
An Umbrella Line of Credit worth ₹1,250 crore ( $175 million ) was signed with the Export-Import Bank of India , including $125 million concessional finance and $50 million grant.
NPCI International and the Central Bank of Seychelles signed an MoU to deploy UPI digital payment infrastructure.
President Herminie requested an advanced light helicopter and centres for cybersecurity and AI; PM Modi agreed to consider the proposals positively.
A virtual ground-breaking was held for a Professional and Technical Education Centre under a special economic package.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Sunday, 28 June firmly characterised India-Seychelles relations as rooted in trust and friendship rather than reciprocal obligation, speaking at a special briefing by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to the island nation. The remarks came in response to a question on what India expects in return for the substantial assistance it has extended to Seychelles.
“These are not transactional relationships, these are relationships based on respect, based on trust and based on friendship… if you were to really press me hard and ask me what do I expect, I would say friendship and that’s really the last word,” Misri said.
Defence and Security Deliveries
India gifted the Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) PS Lespwar to Seychelles to bolster the country’s maritime security capabilities, including surveillance, search-and-rescue operations, and protection of territorial waters. In addition, India handed over 10 utility vehicles and 5 sets of Laser Radial class boats to the Seychelles Defence Force, and provided 6 ambulances to the government.
Humanitarian and Infrastructure Support
India supplied 500 MT of rice to reinforce Seychelles’ food security and 8,500 MT of cement to address infrastructure challenges. Two Indian paramedics also arrived in Seychelles to train local personnel and integrate into the healthcare system, signalling a people-centred dimension to the partnership.
Economic and Digital Cooperation
An Umbrella Line of Credit Agreement was signed between Seychelles and the Export-Import Bank of India, extending ₹1,250 crore to support priority development projects. The package totals $175 million — comprising $125 million in concessional finance assistance and $50 million in grant assistance.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) International Payments Ltd. and the Central Bank of Seychelles to deploy Unified Payments Interface (UPI) digital payment infrastructure in Seychelles and explore broader collaboration in the payments ecosystem — extending India’s digital public infrastructure footprint into the Indian Ocean region.
Education and Future Proposals
PM Modi and Seychelles President Patrick Herminie jointly conducted a virtual ground-breaking ceremony for a Professional and Technical Education Centre being constructed under a special economic package announced earlier this year. “This will further contribute to the efforts which are already underway in the human resource development sector between the two countries,” Misri noted.
President Herminie also proposed that India assist in providing an advanced light helicopter and in establishing dedicated centres for cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence. PM Modi assured that India would consider these proposals with a positive outlook, with further discussions to follow.
Taken together, the deliverables signal a deepening of India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region) frameworks, with Seychelles emerging as a key node in India’s Indian Ocean outreach.
Point of View
Not transactions’ framing is diplomatically elegant, but the sheer breadth of deliverables — patrol vessel, credit line, UPI, cement, rice, paramedics — tells a more strategic story. India is systematically building presence across Indian Ocean small island states at a moment when China’s infrastructure diplomacy in the region has drawn sustained scrutiny. Seychelles’ request for an AI centre and cybersecurity hub signals that even small nations now see digital sovereignty as a security matter — and that India is being positioned as the partner of choice. The UPI extension is particularly notable: every new country on India’s digital payments rail is also a country whose financial data flows through Indian infrastructure.
NationPress
28 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri say about India-Seychelles relations?
Misri said the ties are ‘not transactional relationships’ but are grounded in respect, trust, and friendship. Speaking at a MEA briefing during PM Modi’s state visit on 28 June, he said the only thing India expects in return is ‘friendship.’
What defence assistance did India provide to Seychelles during PM Modi’s visit?
India gifted the Fast Patrol Vessel PS Lespwar to strengthen Seychelles’ maritime security, along with 10 utility vehicles and 5 Laser Radial class boats for the Seychelles Defence Force, and 6 ambulances for the government.
What is the India-Seychelles Line of Credit agreement?
An Umbrella Line of Credit Agreement worth ₹1,250 crore (totalling $175 million) was signed between Seychelles and the Export-Import Bank of India. It includes $125 million in concessional finance and $50 million as grant assistance to fund priority development projects.
How will UPI be deployed in Seychelles?
NPCI International Payments Ltd. and the Central Bank of Seychelles signed an MoU to deploy Unified Payments Interface (UPI) digital payment infrastructure in Seychelles and explore broader collaboration in the payments ecosystem.
What proposals did Seychelles President Herminie make to PM Modi?
President Patrick Herminie requested Indian assistance in providing an advanced light helicopter and in setting up dedicated centres for cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence. PM Modi assured that India would consider these proposals positively, with further discussions to follow.
