Maldives president, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, arrived in New Delhi on Monday. Mr. Solih is scheduled to meet and hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Both leaders are expected to review the progress made in the two countries’ extensive partnership. See here.
Mohamed Solih is in India for four days at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi. He is accompanied by a high-level official and a business delegation.
“A warm welcome to a close friend and maritime neighbor! President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih of Maldives arrives in New Delhi for an official visit. An opportunity to nurture the unwavering friendship between our two countries and lend further momentum to the multifaceted partnership,” MEA tweeted. See here.
https://twitter.com/MEAIndia/status/1554042506911789056
Preneighneighborborlih will meet with the President and hold talks with the Prime Minister during his visit. The Foreign Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, is also scheduled to meet with President Solih.
Dr. S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, tweeted this;
Honored to call on President @ibusolih during his visit to India. Our Neighbourhood First and Maldives’ India First policies are complementary. They take our special partnership forward. See here.
https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1554108279454072832
In addition to the official engagements, President Solih will meet with a delegation of Indian businessmen in New Delhi. President Solih will also go to Mumbai, Maharashtra, and take part in business events during this visit.
It was said during a press conference last week that, “President Solih’s upcoming official visit will give the two leaders the chance to review the advancements made in this extensive partnership and give it more momentum.”
The “Neighborhood First” policy of India and the “India First” policy of the Maldives work in tandem to address shared concerns and develop mutual interests.
Previously, in March, President Solih emphasized the helpful role India has played in the nation’s affairs over the past two years.
In a speech to the nation, President Solih thanked the Indian government for its assistance in helping his nation combat the COVID-19 pandemic, including by providing vaccines. In his speech, he mentioned several cordial bilateral allies. Nevertheless, he did point out New Delhi, for helping the Maldives’ COVID-19 response efforts.
India and the Maldives
The Maldives holds a special place in India’s “Neighborhood First Policy,” as one of its most important neighbors in the Indian Ocean region. All the areas of cooperation within the partnership have experienced rapid growth in recent years.
The Maldives has always been a close and significant maritime neighbor for India. Despite the disruptions caused by the pandemic, the multifaceted relationship between the two nations has gotten stronger.
During his recent two-day visit to the Maldives, India’s Minister of External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar inaugurated the National College for Policing and Law Enforcement (NCPLE).
The Maldives’ domestic law enforcement would benefit from the training academy’s assistance in bolstering their capacity to fight drug trafficking, a major issue in the nation.
The Maldives is a toll gate for India in the Indian Ocean.
The two important Sea Lanes of communication (SLOCs) are located in the southern and northern parts of this island chain.
Between the Strait of Malacca in Southeast Asia and the Gulf of Aden and the Gulf of Hormuz in West Asia, these SLOCs are crucial for maritime trade flows.
Additionally, the Maldives is a participant in both the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) (SASEC).
The Maldives and India conduct a joint military exercise named “Ekuverin”.
Over the years, India has always responded quickly to requests for emergency assistance in the Maldives.
When the armed mercenaries attempted a coup against President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom in 1988, India responded with paratroopers and navy vessels to restore the legitimate leadership as part of Operation Cactus.
Among all of India’s neighbors, The Maldives has been one of the countries that have neighbor neighborbenefited the most from the Covid-19 assistance and vaccines.
India’s main concern has been the impact of political instability in the region on its security and development. Despite the disruptions caused by the pandemic, the ties between the two nations have grown stronger.
