The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left the country on a flight from the Seychelles International Airport this afternoon.

Seychelles President James Michel bid the Prime Minister and his delegation farewell, accompanied by Vice President Danny Faure, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Transport, Joel Morgan, the Indian High Commissioner to Seychelles, Sanjay Panda, senior officials from the Office of the President and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and members of the Indian community in Seychelles.

Prior to his departure, Prime Minister Modi attended a luncheon at the State House, hosted by President Michel.

In a toast to mark the conclusion of the visit, President Michel said; “Today is a great day for Seychelles...Today the spotlight is on Seychelles. The global spotlight is on Seychelles because the Prime Minister of India is visiting us, so you have honoured us with your visit and we appreciate it very much; the people of Seychelles appreciate it very much. Today is an historic day…. this lunch with us … is also a celebration. A celebration of your visit. A celebration of your friendship, the friendship between India and the people of Seychelles is a celebration of our shared values our shared cultural links of also our shared vision for the future.”

Prime Minister Modi thanked the President and the people of Seychelles for their hospitality.

“We have the opportunity to go to many countries of the world, there are many events, but in this experience of ten months, I can say that in ‘the shortest visit with the maximum outcomes’ is what I can say after coming to Seychelles today. For the success of this visit, I would like to thank you for your cooperation and express my happiness…I would like to thank all the citizens of Seychelles, your government and especially you, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the warmth of the hospitality that you have accorded to me and my delegation, the enthusiasm with which we have been welcomed here, I would like to express my gratitude.”

Mr. Modi added: “India has always been with you, Excellency, and in the times to come will be with the people of Seychelles, whether it is in capacity building, in technology…., in prosperity, economic development, or whether the focus is on tourism. We will always be with you.”