With Key Projects in Addu, India Eyes Foothold in Maldives; Jaishankar Hails New Ground in Friendship

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held wide-ranging discussions with his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid on the bilateral partnership and the two leaders took stock of ongoing projects and initiatives across a very wide range of sectors. Jaishankar also called on Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in Addu City and took stock of the road project in the area.

Describing the “time-tested” relationship between India and the Maldives as a “force for stability” in the region, Jaishankar said on Saturday that the shared responsibility of the two countries is to nurture and strengthen it. Speaking at a joint press appearance alongside Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid after their talks here, Jaishankar said that “our time-tested relationship is poised for a quantum jump” to touch the lives of the people of the two countries like never before.

“We are partners in development, we are promoting peace and security, and our relationship, in many ways, serves as a model for the region. It is a partnership that delivers for its stakeholders the citizens of our countries both in good times and in bad times, he said. “This is a partnership that tackles common challenges of regional development, which addresses disruptions and disasters. It is a partnership that is a force for stability in the region. And, it is our shared responsibility to nurture, to strengthen it and to take it forward,” said Jaishankar, who arrived here earlier in the day as part of his five-day two-nation visit to the Maldives and Sri Lanka.

The Maldives is one of India’s key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean region and the bilateral defence and security ties have been on an upward trajectory in the last few years. India and the Maldives also agreed to mutually recognise the COVID-19 vaccine certificates issued by each other, a move that will facilitate easier travel between the two countries and give a boost to the tourism sector.

Jaishankar also took stock of the road project in Addu, which is a stronghold of the Maldivian National Party and former President Mohamed Nasheed. Nasheed speaker of the parliament is also a vocal supporter of close ties with India.

“Breaking new ground in #IndiaMaldives friendship. The road project in Addu goes forward,” Jaishankar wrote on Twitter.

Jaishankar will also inaugurate a police training academy and a drug rehabilitation centre built with Indian financial assistance at Addu. The central government has also approve a proposal for opening an Indian consulate at Addu last year.

Commends Maldives for Its Climate Change Efforts

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar commended the Maldives’ government for implementing its USD-100 million ‘climate adaptation’ project, promising his counterpart Abdulla Shahid Indian support through credit, grants and development projects.

“I would like to take this opportunity to commend both the governments (India and Maldives) and the people of Maldives for their efforts and ambition in the area of climate change. India stands ready to share its capabilities with the Maldives. We have already engaged in the development of water and sanitation facilities in 34 islands,” Jaishankar said at a joint press appearance with the Maldives Foreign Minister.

“But apart from extending basic civic amenities to island communities, the project – which is one of the largest climate adaptive measures going on in the Maldives at a cost of USD 100 million – I think is very noteworthy,” he said.

Agreement for Cooperation in Field of Education Signed

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid on Saturday acknowledged strides made in fields of capacity building and training as the two countries inked an agreement paving the way for connectivity between India’s National Knowledge Network and the Maldives’ Higher Education Network. National Knowledge Network is a multi-gigabit national research and education network, whose purpose is to provide a unified high speed network backbone for educational and research institutions in India. The network is managed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC).

“Foreign Minister Shahid and I acknowledged strides made in fields of capacity building and training. With signing of peering agreement, 1500+ Indian Institutes, Universities and centres of learning from Singapore, Europe and the US are connected to Maldives via India’s National Knowledge Network,” Jaishankar said at a joint press appearance with Maldives Foreign Minister Shahid after their talks here. Shahid said the peering agreement signed between the Maldives’ National Centre for Information Technology (NCIT) and NIC is an important step for cooperation in the field of education, “paving the way for connectivity between the Higher Education Network of Maldives and the National Knowledge Network of India”.

Jaishankar arrived in Male earlier in the evening as part of his five-day two-nation visit to the Maldives and Sri Lanka to explore the possibilities of further expansion of bilateral engagements with the two key maritime neighbours of India.

The Maldives is one of India’s key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean region and the bilateral defence and security ties have been on an upward trajectory in the last few years.

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