India and Seychelles on Saturday (February 7, 2026) underlined maritime trade, sustainable development and the blue economy as the central pillars of their expanding partnership.
Leaders from both countries called for deeper economic and security cooperation across the Indian Ocean region at the Indo-Seychelles Business Roundtable in Mumbai.
Seychelles President Dr Patrick Herminie and Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal attended the event, marking 50 years of diplomatic relations between India and the island nation, ties that trace their origins to shared maritime links and ocean-based commerce.
At the core of discussions was India’s Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions (MAHASAGAR) vision, which New Delhi sees as a framework to promote economic cooperation, sustainability and maritime security in the Indian Ocean.
“India and Seychelles share a common vision of the Indian Ocean as a region of peace, stability and shared prosperity,” Sonowal said, reaffirming New Delhi’s commitment to inclusive growth in the region.
Highlighting India’s strengths, Sonowal said the country’s experience in port-led development, logistics, maritime services, shipbuilding and renewable energy aligned closely with Seychelles’ development priorities, particularly in the blue economy and sustainable infrastructure.
He pointed to Mumbai as a natural hub to advance bilateral cooperation, citing the city’s ports, logistics networks, maritime services, shipyards and financial ecosystem.
The minister’s remarks came against the backdrop of the shipping ministry’s recent announcement of a major redevelopment of Mumbai’s eastern waterfront, with maritime, business and tourism projects worth Rs 22,672 crore in the pipeline.
Key initiatives include the Viksit Bharat Mumbai Marina, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Convention Centre, RoPax and cruise terminals, maritime skilling institutions, public waterfront spaces and new oil berths at Jawahar Dweep, projects that could offer fresh opportunities for Indian and Seychellois businesses.
The roundtable, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs, brought together senior government officials, industry leaders and maritime stakeholders from both countries.
The gathering reflected growing interest in leveraging India–Seychelles cooperation in shipping, ports, logistics, tourism, renewable energy and ocean-based industries.
Among those present were Vijay Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways; Shyam Jagannathan, Director General of Shipping; Captain B.K. Tyagi, Chairman and Managing Director of the Shipping Corporation of India; M. Angamuthu, Chairperson of the Mumbai Port Authority; Gaurav Dayal, Chairperson of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority; and Rohit Rathish, India’s High Commissioner to Seychelles.
As India seeks to strengthen its footprint in the western Indian Ocean and Seychelles positions itself as a key maritime and logistics hub in East Africa, officials said the discussions in Mumbai underscored the strategic and economic convergence between the two nations, with the blue economy and maritime trade set to drive the next phase of bilateral ties.