PM Modi holds productive meeting with newly-elected Maldivian Prez Mohamed Muizzu
PM Modi holds productive meeting with newly-elected Maldivian Prez Mohamed Muizzu
PM Modi met newly-elected Maldivian Prez Mohamed Muizzu and discussed ways to enhance the bilateral friendship across diverse sectors.
As per reports notwithstanding his party’s pro-China rhetoric, Muizzu, a British-educated civil engineer, may follow a more nuanced foreign policy as the country faces a precarious economy with several debt repayments due, taking a cue from the worst economic crisis faced by Sri Lanka.
Maldives’ proximity to the west coast of India (barely 70 nautical miles away from Minicoy and 300 nautical miles away from India’s West coast)
Maldives’ proximity to the west coast of India (barely 70 nautical miles away from Minicoy and 300 nautical miles away from India’s West coast)
On Friday both India and the Maldives agreed to set up a core group to further deepen their partnership as PM Modi held a productive meeting with newly-elected Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu and discussed ways to enhance the bilateral friendship across diverse sectors.
The decision to set up the core group was taken at the first meeting amidst PM Modi and President Muizzu on the sidelines of the COP28 World Climate Action Summit.
Taking to his twitter X Modi said that he and President Muizzu had a productive meeting today and discussed ways to enhance the India-Maldives friendship across diverse sectors.
We look forward to working together to deepen cooperation for the benefit of our people,” Modi tweeted after the meeting.
According to Prime Minister’s Office, the two leaders discussed ways to further bolster India-Maldives relations in sectors pertaining to economic relations, development cooperation and people-to-people ties.
A close associate of former Maldives President Abdulla Yameen, who forged close ties with China during his Presidency from 2013 to 2018, Muizzu, 45, defeated India-friendly incumbent Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in the presidential runoff held in September.
On Friday, Modi personally congratulated Muizzu on his assumption of office as the President of Maldives.
In a statement, the external affairs ministry said that both leaders reviewed the wide-ranging bilateral relations amidst the two countries including people-to-people linkages, development cooperation, economic relations, climate change and sports.
The two leaders also discussed ways to further deepen their partnership. In this regard, they agreed to set up a core group, the statement said.
The meeting took place days after President Muizzu requested India to withdraw 77 Indian military personnel from the country and decided to review more than 100 bilateral agreements between the two countries.
Muizzu’s request came when India’s Union Minister Kiren Rejiju paid a courtesy call on the new president at the latter’s office on November 18.
Meanwhile, Maldives is India’s key maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and occupies a special place in the Prime Minister’s vision of SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and the Neighbourhood First Policy’.
News Edit K.V.Raman
