EAM S Jaishankar, Foreign Minister Shahid review India-Maldives development partnership

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid reviewed the India-Maldives development partnership during a bilateral meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday. In addition to bilateral matters, they also discussed regional issues, including the stability of the Indian Ocean Region.

"A warm and productive meeting today with FM @abdulla_shahid of Maldives.

Encouraged to learn of the steady progress in our development partnership. It is directly contributing to the economic growth and social welfare of our neighbour. Shared perspectives on the stability and prosperity of the Indian Ocean region and how our collaboration advances those goals.

A good day for Neighborhood First and SAGAR outlook," EAM Jaishankar tweeted.

In a tweet before leaving for India, Foreign Minister Shahid had expressed his enthusiasm for the visit, stating, "Keeping with the tradition of high-level exchanges between #Maldives and #India, I am departing to New Delhi on an Official Visit at the invitation of EAM @DrSJaishankar. Look forward to continuing our discussions on enhancing the #MaldivesIndiaPartnership.”

Foreign Minister Shahid is also scheduled to deliver the prestigious 43rd Sapru House Lecture at the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) in New Delhi.

Maldives is India’s key maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and occupies a special place in Prime Minister’s vision of ‘SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and the ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’, the MEA noted.

Announcing the visit, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said that Foreign Minister Shahid’s visit is in continuation of the series of high level visits from both sides and is expected to lend further momentum to the substantive bilateral cooperation between the two countries.