Maldives President Muizzu Hails India As Closest Ally And Invaluable Partner

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has emphasized his administration’s unwavering commitment to deepening the “historic and close connections” with India, calling the nation one of the Maldives’ “closest allies” and “invaluable partners.” Speaking at a ceremony in the presence of India’s External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar, President Muizzu praised India’s consistent support and assistance to the Maldives, particularly through projects funded by the Government of India’s Line of Credit (LoC) via the Exim Bank of India.

The ceremony, held at the President’s Office, marked the completion of water supply and sewerage facilities on 28 islands across the Maldives—a significant milestone in the ongoing collaboration between the two nations. President Muizzu highlighted the economic benefits and prosperity these projects would bring to local communities, underscoring their importance in the Maldives’ bilateral relations with India.

Expressing his “deep gratitude” to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Indian government, and the people of India, President Muizzu acknowledged the “generous and continued assistance” provided by India. He emphasized that the High Impact Community Development Projects under Indian Grant Assistance are a testament to the strong engagement between the two countries in socio-economic development. Muizzu also noted that numerous transformative initiatives are in progress and stressed the importance of accelerating their implementation.

The President concluded his remarks by celebrating the centuries-old friendship, mutual respect, and kinship between the Maldives and India, stating that Maldivians deeply value their ties with the Indian people and are committed to preserving and enhancing this relationship.

During his meeting with EAM Jaishankar, President Muizzu reflected on his recent visit to India, where he attended the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Modi. He expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to meet with both Prime Minister Modi and President Droupadi Murmu.

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Following their meeting, EAM Jaishankar tweeted, “Privileged to call on President Dr Mohamed Muizzu. Conveyed greetings of PM Narendra Modi. Committed to deepen India-Maldives ties for the benefit of our people and the region.” This message followed the virtual inauguration of the water and sanitation projects across the 28 islands.

EAM Jaishankar also engaged in discussions with Maldivian Defence Minister Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon, focusing on enhanced security cooperation, joint maritime security initiatives, and the shared goal of maintaining regional peace and stability. Additionally, Jaishankar participated in a symbolic tree-planting ceremony in Male’s Lonuziyaaraiy Park alongside Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer and Climate Change, Environment, and Energy Minister Thoriq Ibrahim.

Earlier, upon his arrival in the Maldives, Jaishankar attended a ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to mark the inauguration and handover of six projects under the High Impact Community Development Projects facilitated by Indian Grant Assistance. The ceremony also included the exchange of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on an integrated payment system between the Maldives’ Ministry of Economic Development and Trade and the National Payments Corporation of India.

Additionally, an MoU was renewed to train 1,000 Civil Service Officers, further strengthening the educational and administrative ties between the Maldives and India.

Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer expressed deep appreciation for India’s support, reiterating the Maldives’ commitment to working closely with India on bilateral, regional, and multilateral levels to further strengthen and deepen the bonds between the two countries.

EAM Jaishankar, addressing the media, highlighted the strategic significance of his visit to the Maldives, marking it as his first since January 2023. He reiterated the importance of the Maldives in India’s ‘Neighborhood First’ policy and its Vision SAGAR, as well as India’s commitment to the Global South.

“The Maldives is one of the cornerstones of our ‘Neighborhood First’ policy, it is also one of our Vision SAGAR, as well as of our commitment to the Global South,” Jaishankar said. He also underscored the shared challenges and the critical role of defense and security cooperation between the two nations, emphasizing the common interest in maintaining peace and security in the region, particularly given the extensive Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of both countries.