Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday highlighted the longstanding friendship between India and Seychelles during a visit to the Giant Tortoise Enclosure at the Seychelles National Botanical Garden in Victoria, accompanied by Seychelles President Patrick Herminie.
During the visit, the Prime Minister spoke about the connection between the Aldabra Giant Tortoise, a species native to Seychelles, and India, recalling that the island nation had gifted the giant tortoises to Indian zoos as a symbol of the close bilateral relationship.
In a post on X, PM Modi said the Aldabra Giant Tortoise is among the largest and longest-living species on Earth, with some individuals living for more than two centuries. He noted that Seychelles gifted two Aldabra Giant Tortoises to the Alipore Zoological Garden in Kolkata in 2014, followed by another consignment to the Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad a few years later.
The Prime Minister also interacted with the giant tortoises during the visit and was seen feeding them at the enclosure.
As part of the visit, Prime Minister Modi and President Herminie participated in a Joint Tree Plantation Ceremony under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative, reaffirming the shared commitment of India and Seychelles towards environmental conservation and sustainable development.
The two leaders planted a Coco de Mer sapling, a palm species found only in Seychelles and renowned for producing the world’s largest seed and heaviest fruit. The tree also features on the national coat of arms of Seychelles.
Describing the ceremony as a symbol of the two countries’ shared commitment to a greener future, PM Modi said the Coco de Mer represents Seychelles’ rich natural heritage and biodiversity.
He added that India and Seychelles share a common resolve to protect biodiversity, promote environmental stewardship and leave behind a greener and healthier planet for future generations.
The visit to the National Botanical Garden was one of the key engagements of the Prime Minister’s three-day State Visit to Seychelles, where he is attending the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the country’s National Day as the Guest of Honour and holding bilateral discussions to further strengthen the India-Seychelles partnership.
