Port Louis, April 10 (NationPress) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar engaged in a productive dialogue with his Seychelles counterpart Barry Faure during the 9th Indian Ocean Conference held in Mauritius on Friday. This meeting underscored New Delhi's unwavering dedication to assisting Seychelles as it navigates its ongoing economic challenges.

"Had a fruitful discussion with FM Barry Faure of Seychelles on the sidelines of the 9th Indian Ocean Conference. India remains committed to supporting Seychelles in overcoming its current economic hurdles. I appreciated the measures being taken to implement the Special Economic Package," EAM Jaishankar shared on X.

During his official visit to Mauritius for the conference, EAM Jaishankar also engaged with other leaders from participating nations, as well as the Mauritian leadership, to review the comprehensive scope of bilateral relations.

On Tuesday, India dispatched a shipment of 250 metric tonnes of food grains to Seychelles, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). They also indicated that further assistance will be provided as part of the USD 175 million Special Economic Package.

"A consignment of 250 MT food grains has been sent to Seychelles, with more assistance on the way under the USD 175 million Special Economic Package pledged to Seychelles," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal noted on X.

In February, during his State Visit to India, Seychelles President Patrick Herminie recognized New Delhi's contributions towards the development, security, and aspirations of the island nation through Lines of Credit (LoCs), grants, and capacity-building initiatives.

Herminie met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on February 9, where the two leaders discussed the full range of bilateral relations and agreed to collaborate closely on digital transformation. They acknowledged the necessity for Seychelles to enhance its governance through digital solutions, with India promising to assist in building Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) tailored to Seychelles' needs.

In line with the 'Joint Vision for Sustainability, Economic Growth, and Security through Enhanced Linkages' (SESEL) established by both nations, PM Modi reaffirmed India's role as a steadfast partner in Seychelles' national development agenda, focusing on sustainability, defense, maritime security, capacity building, resilience, and inclusive growth.

"Reiterating their commitment to a robust, people-centric development partnership, India announced a Special Economic Package of USD 175 million, comprising a blended financial assistance of USD 125 million in Rupee-denominated Line of Credit and USD 50 million in Grant assistance for development cooperation projects, capacity building for civilians and defense personnel, maritime security, and more," detailed the statement.