EAM Jaishankar’s Maldives visit strengthens bilateral ties

India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, arrived in the Maldives yesterday for a three-day official visit, marking his first trip to the island nation since the election of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu in November 2023. The visit is seen as a pivotal moment to assess the progress of bilateral ties and set an ambitious agenda for future collaboration.

Expressing his appreciation for the warm reception from Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer, Dr. Jaishankar said, “I am delighted to be back in the Maldives, and I am thankful for the warm welcome and hospitality. This visit is an opportunity to take stock of what our countries have achieved together as well as to chart out an aspirational blueprint for the coming years of what we are confident will be a truly multifaceted partnership.”

Dr. Jaishankar underscored the Maldives’ strategic importance in India’s foreign policy, particularly in the context of the ‘Neighborhood First’ policy and Vision SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region). “To put it succinctly in the words of my Prime Minister Narendra Modi – for India, the neighborhood is a priority and, in the neighborhood, Maldives is a priority,” he stated, highlighting the deep historical and cultural ties that bind the two nations.

Talking about the tangible benefits of the India-Maldives partnership, Dr. Jaishankar pointed to several key projects that have been recently inaugurated. “Our partnership makes a difference in the everyday life of a common citizen here. Just look at the projects, Minister, that you and I have just inaugurated—a Mental Health unit, a Speech Therapy unit, Education support unit, and street lights in different towns and atolls. I think we can, in many ways, actually change the everyday lives of the common citizens,” he remarked.

The minister’s agenda includes meetings with several key Maldivian officials, including the Minister of Economic Development, the Minister of Finance, and the Defence Minister, to discuss deepening trade, economic cooperation, and security engagements. “As neighbors, we face common challenges and have a shared interest in maintaining peace and security in the region. Our defence and security cooperation is aimed at confronting many common challenges, and I look forward to fruitful discussions in that regard,” Dr. Jaishankar noted.

Dr. Jaishankar said, “Over the next 3 days, we will be showcasing the results of our partnership and demonstrate how it has enabled the Government of Maldives to build infrastructure, broaden the economic base, make the economy more robust and resilient. In addition to High Impact Community Development Projects that we have virtually inaugurated today, I also look forward to the virtual inauguration and handing over of the Water and Sewerage Projects across 28 islands. This shall be followed by the physical tour, as the Minister mentioned, of the Addu reclamation project and the Addu detour link bridge. I have fond memories myself of visiting Addu some years ago to inaugurate the NCPLE, which is a shining example of projects that are ‘Imagined by Maldives, Delivered by India’. I look forward to visiting Addu again.”

In addition to infrastructure, the visit focuses on human resource development, with Dr. Jaishankar announcing the renewal of an MoU between India’s National Centre for Good Governance and the Maldives Civil Service Commission. ” It gives me great satisfaction that we are renewing the MoU between the National Centre for Good Governance and the Civil Service Commission for an additional 1000 slots for training Maldivian civil servants. We hope to build on these successes and expand this cooperation to greater heights,” he said.

Dr. Jaishankar also emphasized the transformative impact of digital innovation, particularly through India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI). “India, through its Unified Payments Interface (UPI), has revolutionized digital transactions. I am pleased to note that with the signing of the MoU today, we have taken the first step towards bringing this digital innovation to the Maldives,” he stated, adding that this initiative will positively impact tourism and financial inclusion in the Maldives.

Before concluding, Dr. Jaishankar reiterated India’s commitment to supporting the Maldives in addressing economic challenges and ensuring regional stability. “We are not just close neighbours; we are also natural partners. India has been and will be an anchor of stability for its friends, partners, and neighbours. To the Maldives specifically, we have provided support to deal with economic challenges through financial assistance and budgetary support, and by ensuring the uninterrupted supply of critical items. Our actions have and will continue to be guided by our firm commitment in the philosophy of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabke Vikas – which is- Together, we prosper,” he emphasised.

Looking ahead, Dr. Jaishankar expressed optimism about the future of India-Maldives relations, saying, “It is deeply satisfying to see the fruits of our relationship materialize in a very concrete form, and I hope that my visit and the discussions we will have, Minister, will jointly lay the foundation of bigger and better things in the days to come.”