Indian vessel INS Savitri |22 November 2025

Indian HC Rohit Rathish, Commander Ayush Dugar and PS Madeleine, hold discussion

Commanding officer calls on Foreign Affairs principal secretary

 Commanding Officer of Indian naval ship (INS) Savitri, Commander Ayush Dugar, on Wednesday paid a courtesy call on the principal secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora, Ambassador Ian Madeleine, at Maison Quéau de Quinssy.

The visit forms part of an extended regional deployment and aims to support joint surveillance operations of the Seychelles Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) by the crew of INS Savitri and the Seychelles Coast Guard, as well as promote the exchange of operational experience.

During their discussions, the two sides highlighted the importance of defence and maritime security, particularly in light of the re-emergence of piracy in the Indian Ocean Region.

PS Madeleine expressed his appreciation to the government of India for its continued support in capacity building, which remains a priority for Seychelles.

Both parties also explored opportunities to further strengthen existing cooperation and discussed the potential for enhancing capacity-building initiatives through the use of technology.

Contributed