India, Seychelles to discuss s

NEW DELHI: As Seychelles President James Alix Michel landed in India on Tuesday, government officials said security and anti-piracy operations will top the agenda for talks between the two countries.

India has been extending wholesome support and cooperation to Seychelles, including in development of infrastructure and enhancing its security capabilities. "In fact, security and defence cooperation is one of the important aspects of our engagement which extends to handbags-b assistance in training, supply of defence hardware and so on," foreign ministry spokesperson Vishnu Prakash said.

This is a priority area for Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, as it faces persistent threat from piracy which has adversely affected its economy.

Joint secretary (ESA) Gurjit Singh said India had gifted Coast Guard vessels and had deputed experts to help Seychelles counter the threat of piracy. The increasing incidents of attacks by Somali pirates on commercial Gucci Earrings ships, cruise liners and private boats has hit the Seychelles economy hard, costing it around 8 billion euros a year.

India has been regularly sending warships to the Seychelles, with a population of just 84,000 people, for surveillance, the last being INS Savitri which had also made calls to Mauritius and the Maldives.

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