New Delhi

At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Patrick Herminie, President of the Republic of Seychelles, will undertake a State Visit to India from February 5 to 10, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Monday.

This will be President Herminie’s first visit to India since assuming office in October last year. The visit is significant as it coincides with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Seychelles.

During the visit, President Herminie will meet the President of India and hold delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during which the two leaders will discuss bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest.

President Herminie will also visit Chennai and Mumbai, where he is scheduled to attend business-related engagements, aimed at strengthening economic and commercial cooperation between the two countries.

“Seychelles is a key maritime neighbour for India in the Indian Ocean region and holds a special place in India’s Vision MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) and our commitment to the Global South,” the MEA said in an official brief.

“The visit of President Herminie to India, following the visit of the Vice President of India to Seychelles in October 2025, is expected to lend further momentum to the wide-ranging cooperation and robust people-to-people ties between the two countries,” the statement added.

India’s bilateral engagement with Seychelles is rooted in historical linkages and sustained support for Seychelles’ security and development. Today, India–Seychelles relations are marked by close friendship, mutual understanding and strong cooperation.

Historical ties between the two countries date back to 1770, when a small group of five Indians arrived in Seychelles as plantation workers, alongside African slaves and French colonists, and were recorded as the first inhabitants of the islands.

During the British colonial period, Seychelles was administered from the Bombay Presidency for a time, with regular shipping links facilitating the flow of goods and essential commodities from India. These trade connections also led to the migration of an Indian trading community seeking new economic opportunities.

Diplomatic relations were formally established following Seychelles’ independence in 1976. When Seychelles attained independence on June 29, 1976, a contingent from the Indian Naval Ship INS Nilgiri participated in the Independence Day celebrations.

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India established its mission in Victoria in 1979, initially with the High Commissioner based in Dar-es-Salaam and concurrently accredited to Seychelles. The first resident Indian High Commissioner was appointed in 1987, while Seychelles opened its resident mission in New Delhi in early 2008.