President James Michel met with Vice Admiral HCS Bisht, Director General of the Indian Coast Guard at State House yesterday morning. Vice Admiral Bisht was in Seychelles for the handing over of a fast interceptor boat which will be used for surveillance and defence in the Seychelles Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ ).

President Michel thanked the Vice Admiral for the ongoing defence cooperation between the Coast Guards of the two countries.

“The new interceptor boat will further boost Seychelles’ capacity to protect our vast EEZ and combat maritime crime. India has been a faithful partner in Seychelles’ development. For that, we are grateful and thankful,” said President Michel said.

Vice Admiral HCS Bisht commended the leadership role that Seychelles has played in the fight against maritime crime in the Indian Ocean.

They also discussed other cooperation projects that will be implemented between the two countries in the effort of ensuring maritime security in the Indian Ocean.

The President also attended the hand-over ceremony of the boat which took place at the Seychelles Coast Guard base on Ile Perseverance. The hand-over of the vessel Hermes follows the visit of India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, to Seychelles in March 2015 and the subsequent visit of President Michel to India in August 2015.

Also present at the meeting were the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Transport, Mr. Joel Morgan, the High Commissioner of India to Seychelles, Mr. Sanjay Panda, the President’s Diplomatic Adviser, Ambassador Callixte D’Offay and the Military Attaché to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lieutenant- Colonel Georges Adeline.

Other high military and government officials were also present at the handing-over ceremony.