New Delhi to host Seychelles president amid Beijing worry

NEW DELHI — Amid China’s plan to set up a supply and refuelling facility in the picturesque Indian Ocean archipelago nation, India will host Seychelles President James Alix Michel next week, for talks which will focus on expanding defence and anti-piracy co-operation.

Michel will come here for the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit, beginning on February 2, which brings together a host of global leaders to discuss ways to protect the global commons.

Finnish President Tarja Halonen and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger are among those who will speak at the conference.

Michel is also expected to hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on a wide range of bilateral and strategic issues. Besides developmental assistance, expanding anti-piracy and defence co-operation will figure prominently in the discussions.

Late last year, Seychelles offered to China its harbour for use to refuel and stocking of Chinese warships that are in the Gulf of Aden for anti-piracy operations. This triggered some worries in New Delhi, but Beijing later clarified that it will not be a military base, but just a refuelling and supply facility.

India, however, continues to keep a “watch” on how Beijing goes about using this arrangement in this strategicallyimportant island nation. — IANS