New Delhi, June 03: India and Seychelles today agreed to cooperate in the global efforts at fighting piracy in the Gulf of Aden that was adversely impacting business due to the threats posed to cargo ships sailing through the Indian Ocean.
Seychelles President James Alix Michel, who held wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here, said the two countries would make efforts to make the sealanes in the Indian Ocean safer.
“India and Seychelles have agreed to work together in controlling piracy in the Indian Ocean, so that we can try to make sure that this area is safer for economic development,” Michel said addressing business chambers here.
“Both India and Seychelles are facing the same threat from piracy to its shipments,” he said, adding geographically, the two countries shared common maritime domain in the Indian Ocean.
Somali pirates, who mainly operate in the Gulf of Aden, have lately spread their tentacles in the Indian Ocean even up to Seychelles waters.
There have been several piracy attacks in the Indian Ocean including close to Seychelles, causing concern for the business community in India and rest of the world.
Following a request from Seychelles, India has on several occasions sent its Naval warships to the Seychelles waters over the last one year to counter Somali pirates.
The Indian warships’ presence in Seychelles waters was also to prevent terror threats through the sea route to Seychelles, which has a strong offshore sector, and industrial fishing.
That apart, Seychelles also has several marine and aqua culture projects, oil exploration and trans-shipment of goods between Asia, Middle East and Africa. The island nation has also developed its outer islands for eco-tourism projects.
On his meeting with Singh, Michel said they had “very good” discussion and were able to agree on various ways and possibilities for both the countries to further enhance “friendship, collaboration and cooperation for future development.”
–PTI