The President was given a warm send off by Vice-President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Home Secretary R K Singh, Defence Secretary Shashi Kant Sharma, representatives from South Africa and Seychelles Embassies and others.
Patil, possibly on her last foreign visit before she retires on July 25, will reach Seychelles in the first leg of her tour. She would be in South Africa from May 1 to 7. India's ties with South Africa are enjoined by a strategic partnership.
This will be the second Presidential visit to Seychelles, the strategically located island in Indian Ocean, after that of President R Venkataraman way back in 1989.
In Seychelles, Patil will have a meeting with her counterpart James Alix Michel during which various aspects of bilateral relations and regional and international issues are expected to be discussed.
A highlight of the Seychelles visit is that the President will address the Special Session of the National Assembly.
Patil's visit to South Africa is another indication of New Delhi's growing ties with Pretoria. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had visited the country in October last year for the IBSA Summit.
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