Second consignment of medicine supplies from India reaching Seychelles |05 June 2020

Air evacuation pod to be donated

As part of ‘Mission Sagar’, Indian Naval Ship Kesari will be entering Port Victoria tomorrow.

The government of India is honouring the request of the government of Seychelles for delivering the second consignment of essential medical supplies, again on a ‘grant basis’.

INS Kesari will be carrying these essential medicine supplies for Seychelles, medicines which cater to most of the common ailments in Seychelles including blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, cancer and other cardiovascular diseases.

Besides Seychelles, India is also providing assistance to all friendly foreign countries in the region. Towards this, INS Kesari has delivered consignments of COVID-related essential medicines to Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros and Maldives.

The deployment of the ship is in consonance with the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘SAGAR’ which abbreviates as ‘Security and Growth for All in the Region’ and India’s ‘Neighbourhood first’ policy. As India continues its fight against the pandemic it salutes the spirit of Seychelles to come across as a COVID-free nation. ‘Mission SAGAR’ reflects India’s commitment to working together with its maritime neighbours and partners in the Indian Ocean region and assist them when needed the most.

Apart from medicines consignment, the government of India would also be donating two ‘air evacuation pods’, indigenously designed by the Indian Navy, to the Health Care Agency (HCA), Seychelles to help in its urgent medical evacuations.

The deployment of INS Kesari alongside Port Victoria will be to unload the essential medical supplies and will be in accordance with the restrictions and precautions in force as laid down by the government of Seychelles towards COVID-19. No personnel will embark or disembark the ship during the stay.

It may be recalled that the first consignment of urgent medicine supplies of 4 tonnes from India was airlifted and delivered in Seychelles on a war footing through a chartered Air India aircraft on April 5, 2020, at the peak of the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Seychelles and was received by Ambassador Barry Faure, secretary of state for the department of foreign affairs and blue economy on behalf of the government of Seychelles.

India remains committed to further strengthening its multi-faceted people oriented development partnership with Seychelles.

Press release from the Indian High Commission