UPI Launch Timeline Confirmed
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) will become operational in Seychelles by the end of the year. Speaking during a special briefing on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Seychelles, Misri stated, 'Timeline for UPI, I believe it will be operational by the end of the year. Yeah, yeah, so the target is to get it operational by the end of the year.'
Substantive Partnership Without Formal Designation
Misri noted that while the bilateral relationship is not yet a comprehensive economic partnership, it constitutes a significant substantive partnership. He added, 'On the designation of the partnership, I don't think there is any formal designation yet, but there is enough in the relationship, especially what has been achieved during the current visit, for it to be regarded as a very, very substantive partnership already.'
Regarding trade, Misri acknowledged that bilateral trade is currently not very large but suggested exploring a comprehensive economic partnership given the significance of specific economic activities to Seychelles' economy. He said, 'I think it would make sense to perhaps explore this idea and we will take it back to authorities in India and try and see what we can do with this.'
ITEC Cooperation and Capacity Building
Seychelles is a significant user of India's Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme (ITEC), with 90 ITEC slots annually. Misri highlighted considerable use of ITEC training across various areas by Seychelles, underscoring the capacity-building dimension of the partnership.
PM Modi's Talks with Seychelles Leadership
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Seychelles President Patrick Herminie held official talks on Sunday, covering the full spectrum of bilateral relations. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation in health, education, capacity building, digital transformation, sustainable development, social infrastructure, renewable energy, maritime security, and defence. They also exchanged views on regional and global developments, including challenges in the Indian Ocean region such as illegal fishing, drug trafficking, and piracy.
Both leaders expressed satisfaction with progress under the Special Economic Package announced by India. PM Modi reaffirmed India's commitment to supporting Seychelles' development priorities and deepening the bilateral partnership.
Meeting with Opposition Leader
Earlier in the day, PM Modi held talks with Bernard Georges, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly of Seychelles. In a post on X, Modi said, 'I had a good meeting with the Leader of the Opposition Mr Bernard Georges... We discussed a variety of issues related to the Seychelles-EU partnership. I expressed my gratitude for his warm remarks after my budget address today. It is a pleasure to see that the Seychelles-EU relationship has a solid foundation across all different sectors of society in Seychelles.'
