In 2018, Seychelles and India signed an agreement to build and operate a joint military facility on a portion of the island. The Seychelles National Assembly refuted the agreement after protests by the citizens.
As protests continued, the Seychellois president endorsed the Assumption Island deal with India.[1][2][3] The plan caused public protests by activists who believed that the islands should stay out of the brewing India-China regional conflict. The agreement was declared "dead" by the Island's opposition party.[4]
History
Assumption Island was discovered by Captain Nicolas Morphey on 14 August 1756, and was named after the religious feast of the next day.
In 1908, the island was leased to Mr H. Savy of Mahé, who built a coconut plantation there.
The first settlement was in the northern part of the island.[5]
During a visit two years later, he realized the guano potential of the island. The villagers transferred their labor force to a guano mining camp that operated from 1907 until 1983. The camp was the location of the current village. Later, the villagers were employed as fishermen, usually of bêche-de-mer, until it was declared protected.
In the mid-1960s, the island was proposed as an American military base, including a deep-sea port. After strong protests from environmental organizations, the plan was rejected. In 1990, the airfield was built.[6]
Geography
Assumption Island is located about 27 km south of Anse Takamaka on Aldabra Atoll and is part of the Aldabra Group.
It is a single coral island 11.6 km2 (4.5 sq mi) in area. The western shore features an almost uninterrupted sandy beach 5.5 km. Two large sand dunes are prominent on the southeastern coast of the island, one of them 32 metres (105 ft) high.[7]
The 5.5 km, white, sandy beach that stretches on the southeastern side of the island has been several times named 'the best beach in the world' for its white sand, crystalline waters, diversity of marine life and lack of crowds.
Due to the disruptive effect of guano mining which lasted until 1983, the island is dominated by expanses of bare rock and caves, and is sparsely covered with low-growing vegetation.
The island is bisected by a 1,210 metres (3,970 ft) concrete airfield (ICAO: FSAS) running between the two sand dunes on the southeast point to the village on the western coast. The island is occasionally serviced by an Island Development Company (IDC) aircraft from Mahé,[9] usually with scientists which have a boat take them to Aldabra Atoll.[10]
The island has a small port called St. Thomas Anchorage, which is currently enlarged by the Indian Army to a large port.[11]
In 2015, Seychelles and India signed an agreement for constructing and operating joint military facility on the Island.[13][14][15][16] A coast surveillance radar system built by support from India became operational in 2016.[17][18] A revised agreement was signed in 2018 and the Seychelles President has endorsed its ratification.[19] The Government of India has also stated that this was a joint project on the request of the Seychelles government and would be jointly managed by both countries.[20]India plans to invest $550 million in building the facility.[21] Recently, the deal for an Indian military base in Seychelles was declared as ‘dead’ by the Island's opposition party. The leader of the opposition also clearly stated that this was the end of the ‘assumption agreement’ and no further discussions on India's military base were on the agenda.[22]
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