Maldives (Commonwealth Union)_ Minister of State for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan, expressed his confidence in the enduring partnership between India and the Maldives, stating that it is poised to reach new heights. After meeting with Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in Male, Muraleedharan, along with Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid, witnessed the exchange of 10 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). These MoUs will facilitate the implementation of several development projects in the arts, sports, education, and health sectors in the Maldives, which are supported by India’s grant assistance.
Additionally, Minister Muraleedharan also attended the groundbreaking ceremony of the Gan international airport development project. Shahid highlighted the significance of this project, being executed under India’s Line of Credit, as a crucial developmental milestone for Addu City. He emphasized that upon completion, the airport will serve as the gateway for the overall development of the southern region of the country. After his meeting with President Solih, Muraleedharan conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s greetings to the Maldivian President.
In a tweet, he expressed his honor at meeting President Solih and discussed further strengthening bilateral cooperation between India and the Maldives. Muraleedharan emphasized the trusted and longstanding partnership between the two nations, stating that it is set to reach even greater heights. He tweeted, “Honored to call on President of the Maldives H.E @ibusolih and exchanged views on strengthening our bilateral cooperation. Conveyed greetings of PM @narendramodi ji. The time-tested and trustworthy partnership between India and the Maldives is poised to scale further new heights”.
In a media statement, Muraleedharan highlighted the significant expansion of India’s development cooperation portfolio in the Maldives in recent years. He noted that India has emerged as the major trading partner of the Maldives in the past few months and commended the close collaboration between the two countries in tackling the challenges posed by the pandemic. Muraleedharan underscored the comprehensive nature of the development partnership, which encompasses grants, concessional credit, budgetary support, capacity building, and training assistance. The minister expressed satisfaction in witnessing the successful implementation of several projects that are positively impacting the lives of the people and the community in the Maldives.
