Defence and security ties between India and Seychelles got further strengthened during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Indian Ocean archipelago. India’s delivery of a patrol vessel and other equipment for the defence force has bolstered Seychelles' capabilities in the maritime domain. India’s support helps the country monitor its vast exclusive economic zone (EEZ), secure crucial sea lanes, and counter trans-national crimes. Over the past two decades, India has provided a range of patrol and interceptor vessels and two maritime surveillance aircraft to the Seychelles Defence Force. It also helped in establishing a network of coastal surveillance radars, and deepened development ties with the archipelago, including a special economic package of $175 million unveiled earlier this year.India’s support helps Seychelles monitor its vast exclusive economic zone (EEZ), secure crucial sea lanes, and counter trans-national crimes (@indiannavy X/ANI)As Seychelles President Patrick Herminie acknowledged on Sunday after his talks with Modi, security in the Indian Ocean region remains central to the India-Seychelles relationship. He recognised India’s support in hydrography, maritime surveillance, and building up the country’s defence capacity. Modi, in turn, pointed to the shared responsibility of ensuring the security, stability and prosperity of the Indian Ocean. India currently provides Seychelles real-time information on threats such as narcotics trafficking, imparts specialised military training, and has helped set up a hydrographic unit to support marine-resource management. Seychelles is a key participant in the Colombo Security Conclave, a regional grouping with an increasingly important role in countering security threats and bolstering regional stability.While Seychelles has a land mass of only 460 square kilometres, the archipelago has an EEZ of more than 1.3 million square kilometres and abuts many busy sea lines of communication connecting Africa and Asia to the rest of the Indo-Pacific. This enhances its importance as a strategic partner at a time when China is supporting infrastructure projects, increasing control of ports, and stepping up its naval activities across the Indian Ocean in order to project its power. India and its smaller partners across the region will be hard pressed to match Beijing’s economic and military heft. Nonetheless, a network of maritime capabilities and security partnerships, backed up by India’s expertise in capacity-building and trusted reputation as a development partner, could be the answer for ensuring a free and open Indian Ocean.