New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar began his two-day visit to the Maldives on Saturday. His visit can be viewed as an effort by India to expand ties with the strategically important maritime neighbour and to bolster India's initiative in the Indo-Pacific region.
During his visit to the Maldives, EAM will call on President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and have substantive discussions with the Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Defence, Finance, Economic Development and Planning & Infrastructure. EAM will also call-on Speaker Mohamed Nasheed and meet with other political leaders, according to a statement of the Ministry of External Affairs.
During this visit, both sides will review the entire gamut of bilateral ties as well as the progress of ongoing bilateral projects and hold discussions on the ongoing COVID situation, including India’s continued assistance to the Maldives for its post-Covid economic recovery.
His visit to the neighbouring nation comes after two months after Maldives, India and Sri Lanka held the 4th trilateral meeting on maritime security cooperation.
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It is pertinent to note that India has substantially contributed to reviving the Maldivian economy when the pandemic was at its peak. It has undertaken ample financial and economic initiatives to give a boost to Maldive's economy.
India First’ has been the underlying foreign policy approach of the Government of Maldives. President Solih, ever since he assumed office in November 2018, has taken concerted initiatives on this front. This has been in congruence with India's Neighbourhood First’ policy.
On February 22, EAM Jaishankar is scheduled to visit Mauritius.
During his visit, both sides will review all aspects of bilateral relations, ongoing implementation of various infrastructure projects being carried out by India in Mauritius, and hold discussions on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest including India’s assistance to Mauritius, MEA said.
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Both Maldives and Mauritius are India’s key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean Region and occupy a special place in the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘SAGAR’.(Security and Growth for All in the Region).
The visit is testimony to the importance that India attaches to its close and friendly relations with the Maldives and Mauritius and is expected to lend further momentum to substantive cooperation and robust people to people ties between the two countries.
