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Maldives President Ibrahim Solih begins 4-day visit, meets S Jaishankar
Maldives President Ibrahim Solih will be the first foreign leader to meet his new Indian counterpart, Droupadi Murmu, on Tuesday.
NEW DELHI:Maldives President Ibrahim Solih on Monday began a four-day visit to India aimed at shoring up strategic and business relations between the two countries, which are close partners in the Indian Ocean region.
The Maldives, a group of islands in the Indian Ocean with a population of about half a million, has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy, with New Delhi developing projects worth some $2 billion in the archipelago, including ports, roads, bridges and socio-economic development schemes.
Solih’s visit comes against the backdrop of differences with his ally, Speaker Mohamed Nasheed, ahead of parliamentary elections in 2023. The two leaders of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party have been embroiled in a spat, with Nasheed recently accusing Solih’s administration of arresting his brother after “accusing him of homosexuality”.
The Maldives has also witnessed an anti-India campaign, thought to be spearheaded by the opposition party of former president Abdulla Yameen. A mob disrupted the international yoga day celebration in the Maldivian capital of Male in June while the event was being attended by the Indian envoy and foreign diplomats.
The Maldivian President’s only official engagement on Monday was a meeting with external affairs minister S Jaishanakr, who tweeted after their talks: “Our Neighbourhood First and Maldives’ India First policies are complementary. They take our special partnership forward.”
Solih will be the first foreign leader to meet his new Indian counterpart, Droupadi Murmu, on Tuesday. He will also hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and meet an Indian business delegation in New Delhi. Solih will also visit Mumbai, Maharashtra, and participate in several business events.
A statement issued by Solih’s office after his arrival in the Indian capital said the visit reflects the close relationship between the two countries. “India has been a vital partner in Maldives’ socio-economic development. A number of key projects initiated by the government have been completed as a result of this partnership,” the statement said.
Solih is accompanied by a delegation of senior officials and representatives of leading businesses in the Maldives. A number of memorandums of understanding are expected to be signed during the visit.
During his trip to Mumbai on August 3, Solih is scheduled to meet the governor of Maharashtra and tour the Bombay Stock Exchange. He will visit the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust to meet its management team and observe its operations.
India-Maldives trade is currently worth more than $323 million, and India is among the top five export destinations for the Maldives. India has also been the largest source of tourist arrivals in the Maldives since 2020. Several key infrastructure projects are being implemented under an Exim Bank line of credit of $800 million, including water and sanitation schemes in 34 islands, the Gulhifalhu port project and the re-development of Gan and Hanimaadhoo airports.
Defence and security cooperation between the two sides includes regular joint exercises, and India is involved in the training and capacity building of the Maldivian National Defence Force.
