Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday said India and Seychelles share an enduring relationship rooted in centuries-old civilisational ties, a vibrant Indian diaspora and strong people-to-people connections.
LS Speaker Birla made the remarks during a bilateral parliamentary dialogue with Speaker of the National Assembly of Seychelles Azarel Yolanda Ernesta and a parliamentary delegation from the island nation at the Parliament House Complex.
Congratulating Ernesta on her historic election as the first woman Speaker of the National Assembly of Seychelles, LS Speaker Birla recalled his earlier interaction with her at the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) in New Delhi.
He appreciated her interest in India’s spiritual traditions, particularly Yoga, and said India was ready to support efforts to further popularise Yoga in Seychelles through Indian instructors.
LS Speaker Birla also congratulated Seychelles on the 50th anniversary of its Independence and the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
He said the bilateral relationship went beyond conventional diplomacy and was strengthened by shared democratic values, civilisational links and close people-to-people ties.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent State Visit to Seychelles, LS Speaker Birla highlighted his address to an Extraordinary Sitting of the National Assembly, noting that PM Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to address the Seychelles legislature.
He said the historic address had infused fresh energy and momentum into the multifaceted India-Seychelles partnership.
Emphasising the importance of parliamentary engagement, LS Speaker Birla called for greater cooperation between the two legislatures and invited members of the National Assembly of Seychelles to visit the Parliament of India to experience its democratic traditions.
He also highlighted the role of the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE) in parliamentary capacity building and offered specialised training programmes for Seychelles legislators and officials in areas such as legislative drafting, parliamentary procedures and legislative processes.
LS Speaker Birla also highlighted India’s use of technology in parliamentary functioning, including the vision of a paperless Parliament and the use of artificial intelligence to facilitate translation of parliamentary proceedings into 22 Indian languages.
He said there was significant scope for India-Seychelles cooperation in areas including healthcare, digital transformation, infrastructure and renewable energy.
The Lok Sabha Speaker also stressed the need to deepen people-to-people ties through culture, education and tourism and called for greater cooperation between the two countries in amplifying the voice of the Global South.
Describing Seychelles as a trusted partner in the Indian Ocean region, LS Speaker Birla highlighted its importance under India’s Vision MAHASAGAR and stressed closer cooperation for regional peace, stability and prosperity through the United Nations and other multilateral platforms.
Ernesta thanked LS Speaker Birla for the hospitality extended to her delegation and recalled her earlier visit to the Indian Parliament during CSPOC.
“India has my heart,” she said, describing India as the “mother of democracy” and recalling the longstanding links between the two countries.
She noted that Indians were among the earliest settlers in Seychelles and said Indic culture was deeply embedded in the social and cultural fabric of the island nation.
Ernesta also appreciated India’s progress in the digitalisation of Parliament and its extensive use of technology in legislative functioning.
MPs D. Purandeswari, Aparajita Sarangi and Himadri Singh were also present during the meeting.
