Message by the High Commissioner of India H.E. Mr Sanjay Panda on the occasion of the 70th Independence Day of India |16 August 2016
‘India takes immense pride in celebrating its close ties of friendship with Seychelles’
On the occasion of the 70th Independence Day of India, I convey my greetings and best wishes to all Indian nationals, people of Indian origin and friends of India in Seychelles.
At the stroke of midnight on the 15th day of August 1947, as the Union Jack was lowered and the Tricolour was unfurled, it signaled the birth of a new sovereign nation. An independent India ushered in dreams and hopes of millions for a better life – a life bereft of hunger, poverty and depravity. As we look back, it has been a fascinating journey. Today, India proudly stands tall among the comity of nations, not only as the world’s largest democracy but also as the fastest growing market economy.
On this special day, we in India take immense pride in celebrating our close ties of friendship with the Republic of Seychelles that has stood the test of time. As we commemorate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations this year, it is time to look back at the journey that we jointly embarked on in 1976, which has grown from strength to strength, culminating in a mutually beneficial strategic partnership. As maritime neighbours, we speak in the same voice in the international fora and articulate shared concerns on global challenges confronting us, ranging from terrorism to climate change. Our strategic convergence in the Indian Ocean region has also translated bilaterally in building over the years an elaborate architecture of defence and security cooperation.
As our ties further deepen, our bilateral engagement has also diversified across a broad spectrum focusing in particular on enhanced trade and investment, and people-to-people contacts. The exchange of visits at the highest level last year has provided an unprecedented momentum to our relations that has manifested in the signing of as many as nine agreements/MoUs encompassing cooperation in diverse areas, ranging from maritime security and hydrography to agriculture, renewable energy and the Blue Economy. Introduction of gratis visa and online visa under e-TV scheme for Seychellois nationals, and expansion of the frequency of Air Seychelles operations to India along with code-share arrangements to nine domestic destinations in India have opened up trade and investment opportunities, besides providing a new impetus to tourism exchanges.
A major defining attribute of India-Seychelles relationship is our development partnership that has indeed been exemplary. Transcending the traditional cooperation between our two countries in the field of capacity building and human resource development, the development partnership has also manifested itself in other areas, notably health, education, transport, renewable energy, etc. Seychelles has been a significant beneficiary of grants offered by the Government of India during the current year.
In the health sector, a grant amount of US $8 million is earmarked for release this year for supply of essential medicines and medical equipment to the Seychelles Hospital. Out of this, cash grant of over US $5 million has been released so far, including an emergency supply of medicines that was airlifted by a special Indian Air Force aircraft in February this year. In support of the drug rehabilitation programme launched by the Government of Seychelles, a consignment of 45,000 Naltrexone tablets funded under the Indian grant is expected to be delivered shortly. Notable among the other grant projects, either implemented this year or in the pipeline, are procurement of 34 new TATA buses to replace the ageing SPTC fleet, supply of stationery and IT equipment to schools, installation of solar home panels, and miscellaneous police supplies including uniforms, vehicles and specialised equipment/chemicals.
During the last two years that I have been in Seychelles, I have always admired the unity in diversity and the cultural synthesis that remind me of the Indian ethos. The popularity of Seychelles-India Day and the decision by the Government of Seychelles last week to declare it as a ‘National Event’ are endorsement of the depth and appreciation of Indian culture in this country. The spectacular success of the 2nd International Day of Yoga last June reflects the universal appeal of this great Indian tradition. An important component of this cultural melting pot that Seychelles represents is the Seychellois Indian community, to which I salute for making the country of their origin proud by contributing to the prosperity of their adopted country.
As India and Seychelles reinforce their ties as natural partners, I convey on this Independence Day my best wishes to all those who have contributed to the process.