India, Seychelles to expand anti-piracy operations
October 28th, 2011 - 9:33 pm ICT by IANSPerth, Oct 28 (IANS) India and Seychelles, the picturesque Indian Ocean archipelago, Friday discussed ways to expand their cooperation in combating piracy and a host of security issues.
Vice President Hamid Ansari, who is heading the Indian delegation to the biennial Commonwealth heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), met President James Alix Michel on its sidelines and discussed a wide swathe of bilateral issues.
Officials said the meeting reviewed the status of the fight against Somali pirates, with Michel expressing appreciation of the Indian efforts.
Ansari also discussed in detail Indian assistance to Seychelles under the Indian Technical and Economic Assistance (ITEC) programme and extension of lines of credit to the the African nation.
The two also discussed the potential that tourism holds for Seychelles and ways to increase the inflow of Indian tourists to the island nation.
Seychelles was one of the nations that joined the ambitious Pan African e-Network Project in its first phase, inaugurated in February 2009.
The last visit by India’s External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna to Seychelles was in July 2010, a little over a month after Michel paid a state visit to India.
Earlier this year, the Indian Navy deployed a Dornier maritime surveillance aircraft in the Seychelles for carrying out anti-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean Region. The aircraft, stationed at Seychelles’ capital Victoria, would be operated by Navy crew on anti-piracy patrol duties in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
India has also agreed to provide two Chetak maritime choppers to Seychelles for its fight against sea-pirates.
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Tags: african nation, bilateral issues, chetak, chogm, commonwealth heads, economic assistance, expressing appreciation, external affairs minister, hamid ansari, heads of government, indian delegation, indian efforts, indian navy, indian ocean region, indian tourists, maritime surveillance, navy crew, sea pirates, somali pirates, surveillance aircraft