India, Seychelles need to work together as partners: Kovind
New Delhi, June 25: President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday said India and Seychelles need to work together as partners in strengthening the regional architecture of the Indian Ocean.
"Our countries need to work together as partners in strengthening the regional architecture of the Indian Ocean," the President said while hosting a banquet in the honour of Seychelles President Danny Antoine Rollen Faure here at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
He said that India and Seychelles share a very special relationship, built on the foundation of mutual trust, enormous goodwill and shared values.
"The two countries are happy to share the same geostrategic vision of maintaining peace, security and stability in the Indian Ocean," Kovind said.
Welcoming President Danny Faure to India, Kovind said: "India recognises the leadership role of Seychelles in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and on climate change and maritime security issues.
"Seychelles has also emerged as the top African country in the Human Development Index. It has consistently figured among the top five ranking countries in Africa for overall governance," he said.
The President further said that the vast natural resources provide limitless opportunities for the growth and prosperity of future generations. "Our common goal should be to harness the full potential of the ocean-based Blue Economy in a sustainable manner," he said.
Kovind assured the President of Seychelles of India's continued commitment for extending development assistance to Seychelles in all the areas which the government of Seychelles considers critical and of direct benefit to its people.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
