External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday said India’s partnership with the Maldives is based on a deep desire to work together for each other’s welfare and interests. He stressed that relations with Male are one of the cornerstones of India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy.
Jaishankar arrived here on Friday evening on a three-day official visit at the invitation of Maldives to improve bilateral ties with the country. This is the first high-level visit from India after pro-China President Mohamed Muizzu took office in the Maldives last year.
His visit to Maldives comes just weeks after President Muizzu’s visit to India to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in June.
“India’s partnership with Maldives is based on our deep desire to work together for each other’s welfare and interests. It is a partnership that has always enabled us to respond swiftly and effectively to challenges as seen in the past,” Jaishankar said at a press conference after talks with his Maldivian counterpart Moosa Zameer.
He said, Maldives is one of the cornerstones of our Neighbourhood First policy, it is important for our ‘Vision Sagar’ as well as our commitment to the ‘Global South’. To paraphrase the words of Prime Minister Narendra Modi – Neighbourhood is a priority for India and Maldives is a priority in the neighbourhood. Jaishankar said, “We are also the closest allies of history and kinship.”
Relations between India and the Maldives have soured after Muizzu, who is considered pro-China, assumed the top office in November 2023. Jaishankar said the visit is an opportunity to review the achievements made by the two countries together and to draw an aspirational blueprint for the years to come.
This is Jaishankar’s first official visit to the Maldives since assuming office for a second term in June 2024. His last visit was in January 2023. Jaishankar’s three-day visit till August 11 is taking place at the invitation of his Maldivian counterpart Musa Zameer. Jaishankar will meet President Muizzu on Saturday.
Let us tell you that Mohammad Muizzu had promised during his election campaign that he would send back Indian soldiers. Indian soldiers have also returned from Maldives in May. After becoming the President, Muizzu’s first foreign trip was to China. When three of his ministers made objectionable comments on Prime Minister Modi on social media, they were suspended. Now once again it seems that relations between the two countries can become normal. In May, Maldives Foreign Minister Moos Zameer came to India. India has also lifted the export ban on potatoes, onions, eggs, rice, flour, pulses, sugar, sand and other things for Maldives.
In Male, Foreign Minister Jaishankar said that in the coming days we will get to see a sample of our relations. Jaishankar and Musa together inaugurated institutions related to street lighting, mental health and language therapy for children. Apart from this, an agreement was signed between the two countries regarding digital payment.
