MEA reiterates that Maldives is India’s key maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu will travel to India on a State visit on 6-10 October 6-10, 2024, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced in New Delhi on Friday (October 4, 2024). While in New Delhi, he will hold discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on bilateral, regional, and international issues of mutual interest. He will also meet President Droupadi Murmu.
The visit, which is being seen as significant in the context of strengthening ties with an important maritime neighbour, comes less than a month after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar travelled to the Maldives.
This will be President Muizzu’s first bilateral visit to India. He had earlier visited New Delhi in June 2024 to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Modi and the Council of Ministers. He will also visit Mumbai and Bengaluru to attend business events.
Announcing the visit, the MEA reiterated that Maldives is India’s key maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and holds a special place in Prime Minister’s vision of ‘SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and India’s ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’. “The visit of President Dr. Muizzu to India after the recent visit of the External Affairs Minister to Maldives is testimony to the importance that India attaches to its relations with the Maldives and is expected to lend further momentum to cooperation and robust people to people ties between the two countries,” the MEA said.
President Muizzu’s visit comes less than a month after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar travelled to the Maldives to hold a series of high-level bilateral meetings and participate in the handing over of India-assisted development projects. EAM Jaishankar’s three-day visit to the Maldives from August 9 to 11 was his first since the government led by President Mohamed Muizzu assumed office in November 2023.
During a meeting with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer, he discussed various aspects of bilateral ties between the two countries, including development partnership, defence and maritime cooperation, capacity building, economic and trade engagement, and people-to-people linkages. EAM Jaishankar reiterated India’s consistent and continued support to Maldives in its quest for progress and prosperity. Earlier, they jointly inaugurated six High Impact Community Development Projects in the areas of street lighting, mental health, children speech therapy and special education.
EAM S Jaishankar also called on President Muizzu and conveyed greetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking about his meeting with the Maldivian President, EAM S Jaishankar wrote on X: “Privileged to call on President Dr Mohamed Muizzu. Conveyed greetings of PM Narendra Modi. Committed to deepening India-Maldives ties for the benefit of our people and the region.”
EAM Jaishankar later virtually inaugurated and handed over water and sanitation projects in 28 islands, commissioned under the Indian Line of Credit, in the presence of President Muizzu at the Presidential office in Male.
Foreign Minister Zameer had visited New Delhi for ilateral discussions with EAM Jaishankar on May 9, 2024. (India News Network)
ALSO READ: Bangladesh recalls India envoy in major diplomatic reshuffle
