New Delhi: India on Thursday said it has deployed a naval aircraft in the Seychelles to carry out surveillance of the Indian Ocean island nation's territorial waters as part of anti-piracy efforts.
"Indian Navy has deployed a Dornier (aircraft) to the Seychelles under a government-to-government memorandum of understanding.
The Dornier is stationed at Victoria, capital of the Seychelles, and will be operated for exclusive economic zone surveillance and anti-piracy patrols," a navy spokesperson said here.
The aircraft would be operated by an Indian aircrew in response to requirements projected by the Seychelles government.
"The step will bridge the requirement (of the Seychelles) till a new Dornier under manufacture at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is handed over to the Seychelles government," the spokesperson said.
During the visit of Defence Minister AK Antony to the Seychelles, India had agreed to its government's request to take forward the bilateral cooperation to tackle the spread of piracy in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
India agreed to facilitate the Seychelles' acquisition of a new Dornier aircraft and two Chetak helicopters from HAL for maritime surveillance.
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