Mumbai / New Delhi, June 8, 2020

India handed over the second consignment of COVID-19 - related essential medicines for the people of Seychelles, at an official ceremony at Port Victoria yesterday. The medicines were delivered during these difficult times by Indian Naval Ship Kesari, as part of Government of India's outreach to Friendly Foreign Countries, during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The medicines were handed over at an official ceremony. The High Commissioner of India, H.E. General Dalbir Singh Suhag PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd) handed over the consignment of medicines to Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs & Blue Economy, Amb. Barry Faure & Secretary of State for Health, Amb. Marie Pierre Lloyd. The Second Secretary to HCI, Mr Ashwin Bhaskaran was also present on behalf of the Government of India.

‘Mission SAGAR’ builds on the excellent relations between the two countries to battle the COVID-19 pandemic and its resultant difficulties. The deployment also resonates Prime Minister's vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region ‘SAGAR’ and highlights the importance accorded by India to relations with the countries in the Indian Ocean Region. The operation is being conducted in close coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs, and other agencies of the Government of India.

Expressing gratefulness to the Government of India for its support to the country during these testing times, the Government of Seychelles in a statement has recalled that the first consignment of urgent medicinal supplies of 4 Tonnes from India was airlifted and delivered in Seychelles on a war footing through a chartered Air India aircraft on 15 April 2020, at the peak of the first wave of COVID-19 Pandemic in Seychelles and was received by Amb. Faure on behalf of the Government of Seychelles. Mission SAGAR has also included 2 medical evacuation pods from Indian Navy, for transferring COVID-19 patients by air and supplies for Maldives, Madagascar, Mauritius and Comoros as well.

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DJM

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