Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Seychelles on Saturday afternoon for a two-day State Visit, and within hours had delivered one of the more unusual diplomatic photo-ops of the year — feeding a tortoise old enough to have been alive when the East India Company still ruled large parts of the subcontinent.
From The Airport To The Botanical Garden
Modi’s Seychelles trip began with a ceremonial welcome at the airport, where President Dr. Patrick Herminie and several senior ministers received him personally. The Indian diaspora put on a cultural display that caught the Prime Minister’s attention immediately — a Kutchi folk dance performed right on the tarmac. Modi called it an “amazing cultural connect” on X, praising how the diaspora has kept regional Indian traditions alive thousands of kilometres from home.
From the airport, Modi and President Herminie travelled together to the Seychelles National Botanical Garden in Victoria, with the Prime Minister sharing a lighthearted photo of the two leaders sharing a laugh on the drive over.
Meet Jonathan: 194 Years And Counting
At the garden, Modi was photographed enthusiastically feeding the resident giant tortoises — among them Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise estimated to have been born around 1832, making him roughly 194 years old. Guinness World Records officially recognises Jonathan as the oldest living land animal on the planet.
Nearly two centuries old — and still drawing world leaders to his garden.
Despite his extraordinary age, Jonathan is reported to be in relatively good health, though he deals with poor eyesight from cataracts and a diminished sense of smell. A team of veterinarians looks after him at the Seychelles residence where he lives, and his longevity has made him something of a celebrity in his own right — drawing scientific interest from researchers who study ageing and lifespan biology, well beyond the world of politics.
Quick Facts: Jonathan The Tortoise
- Estimated age: ~194 years (born around 1832)
- Title: World’s oldest living land animal — Guinness World Records
- Species: Seychelles giant tortoise
- Residence: Grounds near the Seychelles National Botanical Garden, Victoria
- Health: Generally stable; cataracts and reduced smell, but remains active under veterinary care
The two leaders did not stop at the tortoise enclosure. Modi and President Herminie also took part in a tree-planting ceremony in the garden — a gesture meant to underline both nations’ shared commitment to environmental conservation and sustainable development — and spent time speaking with garden staff, who walked the Prime Minister through the island’s distinctive flora and fauna.
A Visit Built Around 50 Years Of Friendship
The light-hearted garden visit comes wrapped around serious diplomatic business. Modi is in Seychelles as the Guest of Honour for the country’s Golden Jubilee National Day celebrations, marking 50 years of diplomatic relations between India and the island nation. His two-day State Visit runs from June 27 to June 29 at the invitation of President Herminie.
Seychelles’ Foreign Minister Barry Faure said ahead of the visit that it is expected to give the country’s tourism sector a notable boost, with several agreements likely to be signed across maritime security, space cooperation, cybersecurity, and mutual legal assistance. Broader cooperation in the blue economy and climate resilience is also expected to feature heavily in the bilateral talks.
Why Seychelles Matters To India
Seychelles sits at a strategically vital point in the Indian Ocean, and India has steadily deepened ties with the archipelago as part of its broader maritime security and “Neighbourhood First” outreach in the region. With China also expanding its footprint across the Indian Ocean island states, New Delhi’s continued engagement with Victoria — spanning defence cooperation, infrastructure, and people-to-people ties through the Indian diaspora — is seen as an important counterweight in the contest for regional influence.
What’s Next On The Itinerary
With the botanical garden visit and tree-planting behind him, Modi’s schedule over the remaining two days is expected to centre on formal bilateral talks with President Herminie, the signing of cooperation agreements, and his appearance as Guest of Honour at the National Day celebrations marking Seychelles’ 50th year of independence. But for now, it’s the photographs of the Prime Minister feeding a nearly 200-year-old tortoise that have taken over social media feeds back home.
