PM Modi Receives Seychelles’ Top Environmental Honour, Dedicates It to Climate-Battling Nations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred the 'Guardian of the Blue Horizon' award, the highest distinction of Seychelles for leadership in environmental conservation and sustainable development, during his visit to the island nation on Sunday.

Accepting the honour, PM Modi dedicated it to all nations fighting climate change and reiterated India’s commitment to environmental stewardship and global cooperation. 'It is a matter of immense pride and joy for me and for the 1.4 billion people of India to be honoured with the title of 'Guardian of the Blue Horizon.' I humbly accept this honour and dedicate it to all those nations that are battling the challenge of climate change and view environmental conservation as a responsibility towards future generations,' he said.

PM Modi noted that his visit coincided with two significant milestones: the Golden Jubilee of Seychelles' independence and the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Seychelles. 'My visit takes place at a historic juncture as Seychelles marks 50 years of its independence, and we celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Seychelles. Over the course of these 50 years, we have transformed friendship into trust, trust into cooperation, and cooperation into public welfare,' he said.

Emphasising the historic maritime links, the Prime Minister said the Indian Ocean has nurtured India-Seychelles ties for centuries by facilitating trade, cultural exchanges, and people-to-people connections. He said both nations view the Indian Ocean as a shared home, with its security, sustainability, and prosperity being a collective responsibility, forming the foundation of India’s MAHASAGAR vision. 'We believe the Indian Ocean is our shared home; its security, sustainability, and prosperity are our shared responsibility. This sentiment forms the foundation of our MAHASAGAR vision. The joint vision issued during the President's visit to India in February of this year has laid the blueprint for our future partnership,' he said.

Earlier, PM Modi held delegation-level talks with President Patrick Herminie to review the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation and exchange views on regional and global issues. Following the talks, the leaders witnessed the exchange of multiple Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at deepening collaboration in key sectors and strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri were present during the discussions.

Seychelles First Lady Veronique Herminie said the visit symbolised mutual respect and unity. 'This is sending the right message to the world and to the people of Seychelles that there is a lot of respect, there's a lot of friendship and the unity that India and Seychelles enjoys,' she said. She also highlighted India’s contributions to Seychelles in sectors including healthcare, education, and defence.