New Delhi: Indo-Seychelles ties including in Defence sector is expected to touch a new high during Vice- President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat's official visit to the Indian Ocean Island from September 8.

During the five-day visit, the first high level by an Indian leader to the island republic since Vice President Shankar Dayal Sharma's visit in 1991, Shekhawat will be holding talks with his counterpart Vice-President James Alix Michel to discuss measures to strengthen bilateral ties.

Agreements or Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in the fields of health, science and technology and Defence are likely to be signed during the visit.

India-Seychelles Defence cooperation has developed vastly over the years. In 1981, India gifted two Chetak helicopters and in 1988 replaced one of them. Indian Naval ships have been making annual goodwill visits to Seychelles' capital of Victoria regularly over the past several years.

In November 2001, the first-ever joint exercises between the Defence forces of the two countries were carried out followed by specialised diving operations to clear out coral passages.

PTI `