We see Indian Ocean as zone of cooperation, not arena for competition: Seychelles president Patrick Herminie

Seychelles envisions the Indo-Pacific as a region that is open, inclusive and governed by international law, with cooperation rather than confrontation, the country's President, Patrick Herminie, told Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury in an interview. This is aligned with India's Mahasagar Vision, he said, backing a robust defence partnership with India. Edited excerpts:

What are your priorities for deepening India-Seychelles strategic ties? And how do they converge with PM Modi's Mahasagar Vision for the Indo- Pacific region?

Our focus is on strengthening cooperation that deliver tangible benefits to the people of Seychelles while enhancing our role as responsible partners in the Indian Ocean region.


First, we want to expand cooperation in socio-economic development, particularly in health, education and cost of living improvements. India's expertise and capacity in these fields can help accelerate progress on issues that matter directly to our citizens, complementing Seychelles national development plans.

Second, defence and maritime security remain central. Seychelles and India share not just friendship but also an ocean, and continued collaboration in training, surveillance and joint operations will strengthen stability across our vast oceans. Third, we seek deeper economic and trade partnerships, including expanded trade, technology exchanges and capacity-building opportunities. While Seychelles is a small island developing state, partnership with India can help us in agriculture, renewable energy and skills development without dependency but through mutual respect and win-win cooperation. Our priorities align closely with Prime Minister Modi's Mahasgar Vision.

As a small island state, our foremost priority is stability, sustainability and openness of the Indian Ocean as a shared space that supports development for all. In that sense, many of the principles articulated in India's Mahasagar Vision, particularly respect for sovereignty, maritime safety, sustainable use of ocean resources, and capacity-building for developing states. These are fully consistent with our national interests.

We view the Indian Ocean not as an arena for competition but as a zone of cooperation. Any initiative that strengthens regional resilience, supports climate adaptation, improves maritime connectivity and enhances disaster preparedness is of value to us. In that context, India's long-standing role as a partner in the Indian Ocean has been important and appreciated.

What are Seychelles' expectations from the Colombo Security Conclave?

India remains a key regional partner for Seychelles. Through our partnership, India continues to support Seychelles in strengthening capacity across manpower development and the provision of essential equipment, thereby enhancing the Seychelles Defence Forces' ability to safeguard national sovereignty and protect our maritime interests. Within the framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation, this collaboration would be further institutionalised. India has consistently demonstrated its readiness to support Seychelles in addressing security or military contingencies that exceed national capacity, contributing to regional stability and reinforcing collective security in the Western Indian Ocean.

India and Seychelles have shared a convergence of views in the Indian Ocean region. What's your vision for the region, and does it align with India's approach?

Seychelles envisions the Indo-Pacific as a region that must remain open, inclusive and governed by international law, with cooperation rather than confrontation as its central organising principle. As a small island developing state located at the crossroads of vital sea lines of communication, our security and prosperity are inseparable from stability in the Indo-Pacific region. India and Seychelles share a strong convergence of views on these fundamentals. Our long-standing defence partnership dating back to the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1976 has steadily expanded through practical cooperation in maritime security, capacity-building, training and domain awareness.