Neighbourhood First: EAM Jaishankar to embark on three-day visit to Maldives from August 9
| 2024-08-08
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar previously visited Maldives in January 2023. (File photo)
The visit is aimed at strengthening the close partnership between the two countries
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar will pay an official visit to Maldives from August 9-11, 2024 to reinforce the bilateral partnership and explore new avenues of cooperation between the two countries. He previously visited Maldives in January 2023.
This follows the recent visit of the President of the Republic of Maldives, Mohamed Muizzu, to India for the swearing-in ceremony of the new Cabinet and Council of Ministers, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday (August 8, 2024).
Maldives is India’s key maritime neighbour and an important partner in India’s ‘Neighbourhood First' Policy and our Vision ‘SAGAR’ i.e. Security and Growth for All in the Region. "The visit is aimed at strengthening the close partnership between the two countries and to explore avenues to enhance the bilateral relationship further," the MEA noted.
Earlier this year, in a goodwill gesture, the Indian government once again extended its support to the Maldives by providing a budgetary aid package worth USD 50 million. This support came in the form of a rollover of a Treasury Bill for an additional year, facilitated by the State Bank of India (SBI). The decision to extend this financial assistance was made in response to a request from Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer during his official visit to India from May 8-10, 2024.
The financial assistance came amid evolving diplomatic relations between the two nations after President Mohamed Muizzu's People's National Congress (PNC), which is viewed as pro-China, gained a majority in the Maldives Parliament. Soon after assuming office, President Muizzu asked India to withdraw Indian military personnel, tasked with operating aviation platforms in the country, by May 10, 2024. India has since replaced them with civilian personnel.
India's commitment to the Maldives, has however, remained steadfast. The Maldives, known for its stunning coral islands and luxury resorts, relies heavily on tourism. Support from India is seen as crucial for the Maldives' economic stability.
The Maldives government has also expressed optimism about its partnership with India. After India's decision on continuing with the budgetary support in May this year, Maldives released an official statement acknowledging the generous support.
"The Government of Maldives is highly appreciative of the generous support that the Government of India has been providing to the Maldives in the form of budgetary support. A large number of infrastructural developmental projects and High Impact Community Developmental projects are underway with the assistance from the Government of India, which consists of a notable part as grant assistance," the statement said.
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