The Vice President of India, Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan today met the parliamentary delegation from the Republic of Seychelles led by H.E. Ms. Azarel Ernesta, Speaker of the National Assembly of Seychelles, at Parliament House, New Delhi.

Welcoming the Speaker and the members of the delegation, the Vice President conveyed his warm greetings to the Government and the people of Seychelles on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of their country’s Independence. He also congratulated H.E. Ms. Azarel Ernesta on becoming the first woman Speaker of the Seychelles National Assembly and noted her participation in the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) held in New Delhi in January 2026.

Recalling the close and enduring ties between the two countries, the Vice President said that Seychelles occupies a special place for him. He fondly remembered his visit to Seychelles for the swearing-in ceremony of President H.E. Dr. Patrick Herminie in October 2025, which was his first overseas visit as the Vice President of India. He also recalled his meetings with President Dr. Patrick Herminie and Vice President Sebastien Pillay, describing the warmth and hospitality extended by the people of Seychelles.

Highlighting the significance of 2026 in the bilateral relationship, the Vice President observed that the two countries witnessed two State Visits during the year. The Prime Minister of India participated in the 50th National Day celebrations in Seychelles in June 2026, while President Dr. Patrick Herminie paid a State Visit to India in February 2026. He further noted that Vice President Sebastien Pillay visited India in February 2026 to attend the AI Impact Summit. The Vice President also underlined that both countries are celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations this year and expressed confidence that the current visit by the Seychelles parliamentary delegation would impart further momentum to the growing bilateral partnership.

The Vice President also recalled that in February 2026, India announced a Special Economic Package of USD 175 million for Seychelles which would elevate the development and security partnership between the two countries to new heights.

The Vice President also shared the initiatives being undertaken by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat towards modernisation and digitisation. He referred to the increasing digitisation of parliamentary functioning, simultaneous translation of proceedings into multiple languages, efforts to make parliamentary proceedings paperless and more efficient, regular capacity building programmes in cyber security, and the creation of digital archives of parliamentary texts. He conveyed India’s willingness to share its experience and knowledge with the Seychelles National Assembly and offered to organise study visits and customised capacity building programmes in accordance with the needs and priorities of Seychelles.

Emphasizing the importance of people-to-people relations, the Vice President acknowledged the contribution of the Indian diaspora in Seychelles, particularly the Gujarati and Tamil communities, noting that they serve as an enduring bridge of friendship between the two nations.

The Vice President noted that the Speaker of the Seychelles National Assembly regularly practises Yoga and remarked that Yoga serves as a strong symbol of the close people-to-people relationship between India and Seychelles and looked forward to continued engagement and closer cooperation between the two parliamentary institutions in the years ahead. He wished the Speaker and the members of the delegation a pleasant and productive stay in India.

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