Defence Secretary calls on Seychelles’ Minister for Foreign Affairs & Diaspora and Chief of Defence Forces in New Delhi

Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh called on Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora of the Republic of Seychelles Mr Barry Faure and Chief of Defence Forces, Seychelles Defence Forces Major General Michael Anselme Marc Rosette in New Delhi on February 10, 2026. During the meeting, both sides reiterated their commitment to strengthening defence cooperation between the two nations. They reviewed the growing defence and security collaboration between India & Seychelles, and reaffirmed their shared commitment to enhancing bilateral engagement and contributing towards peace, stability, and security in the Indian Ocean Region.

Both sides also welcomed the upcoming joint military exercise LAMITYE – 2026 between the Indian Defence Forces and the Seychelles Defence Forces & capacity building initiatives, and agreed to further enhance the scope and depth of these engagements. Cooperation in the field of training, hydrography, ships and aircraft visits, defence delegation visits and maritime security were also discussed. The Defence Secretary welcomed the participation of the Seychelles side in the upcoming International Fleet Review as well as the 2026 edition of exercise Milan in Visakhapatnam next week.

The two sides also discussed MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions), India’s vision for inclusive, cooperative, and sustainable security and growth across regions. They underscored the importance of a collaborative approach to addressing shared challenges, particularly in the maritime domain, capacity building, and development partnerships. They deliberated upon future avenues for defence and security cooperation between India & Seychelles, with a focus on continued cooperation in capacity building through long term partnership in the modernisation of key military capabilities.