India, Seychelles agree to work on naval project
India and the Seychelles yesterday agreed to work jointly on developing a naval base at the Assumption Island in the Indian Ocean island country keeping in mind each other's rights as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with visiting Seychelles President Danny Faure.
Modi also announced a 100-million dollar credit line to Seychelles for augmenting its defence capabilities and gifting of a Dornier aircraft for the latter to protect its exclusive economic zone in the Indian Ocean.
"With this credit line, Seychelles will be able to buy defence equipment to boost its maritime capacity," Modi said in his statement to the media along with Faure at the Hyderabad House here.
On the naval facility at the island which would give India a strategic advantage in the Indian Ocean Region where China has been increasingly assertive, Modi said "We have agreed to work together on the Assumption Island project based on each other's rights."
For his part, Faure said the Assumption Island project was discussed and the two countries equally engaged to work together bearing each other's interests.
Modi said India and Seychelles "are major strategic partners. We respect the core values of a democracy and share the geo-strategic vision to maintain the peace, security and stability in the Indian Ocean."
The Seychelles President said the "Assumption Island project was discussed, we are equally engaged and will work together bearing each other's interests," he said.
The remarks by Modi and Faure came in the backdrop of political opposition in the Seychelles to an agreement the two countries signed early this year to develop a naval facility on the Assumption Island.
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