Former Seychelles president Wavel Ramkalawan has raised concerns over a proposed joint coast guard or military facility on Assomption Island involving Seychelles and India.
In a press communiqué dated 27 February 2026, Mr Ramkalawan said he had written to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to express his position on the proposal. He said he addressed the issue as former president and leader of the opposition Linyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS).
Mr Ramkalawan said the proposal became public after President Patrick Herminie’s recent visit to India, during which an agreement on the project was revealed. However, he said the exact nature and scope of the facility remain unclear. While statements in Seychelles have referred to it as a coast guard base, he said some media reports in India have described it as a military base linked to India’s strategic interests.
He also raised concerns that the project could involve the presence of foreign military personnel on Seychelles territory. According to Mr Ramkalawan, such an arrangement would raise questions about national sovereignty and could draw the country into wider geopolitical rivalries.
Mr Ramkalawan said he believes many Seychellois oppose the proposal and pledged to campaign against it.
He also highlighted environmental concerns. He said the construction and operation of a military facility on Assomption Island could affect the fragile ecosystem of the island and nearby Aldabra Atoll, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Mr Ramkalawan called on the public to express their views on the proposal. He said Seychelles should defend its sovereignty, maintain neutrality in geopolitical tensions and protect the environment of its outer islands.