India, Seychelles sign pacts for cooperation in cyber security and sharing of white shipping info

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Seychelles President Danny Faure

India and Seychelles on Monday signed six agreements in key areas, including cyber security, and on sharing of white shipping information that would enable the two countries to exchange data regarding identity and movement of non-military commercial vessels.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-in), the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and the Department of Information Communications Technology of Seychelles on cooperation in the area of cyber security.

A twinning agreement on the establishment of friendship and cooperation between the Corporation of the City of Panaji and the City of Victoria of the Republic of Seychelles was signed.

A key MoU was inked on sharing white shipping information between the Indian Navy and the National Information Sharing and Coordination Center of Seychelles. This pertains to exchanging data regarding identity and movement of non-military commercial vessels.

Seychelles, an east African island nation, is crucially located along one of the important Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOC).

A pact was signed between Foreign Service Institute of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Seychelles for training of Seychellois diplomats.

Agreements to promote cultural exchange programmes between India and Seychelles for the years 2018-2022 and Indian grant assistance for implementation of small development projects through local bodies, educational and vocational institutes were also signed.