India, Maldives foreign ministers reinforce bilateral ties

New Delhi, Jan 3: Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar and Foreign Minister of Maldives, Abdulla Khaleel held bilateral discussions on Friday in New Delhi marking another step in strengthening the evolving bilateral relationship between the two nations.

Both ministers took stock of progress made on the understandings reached during the State Visit of President Muizzu to India in October 2024 and followed up on issues that need further focus from both sides.

EAM S Jaishankar reaffirmed the importance India attaches to its bilateral ties with Maldives and assured continued support to Maldives, under India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy and Vision SAGAR, i.e., Security and Growth for All in the Region.

Abdulla Khaleel, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives is on an Official visit to India from 02-04 January 2025. The visit follows the recent State Visit of the President of the Republic of Maldives, Mohamed Muizzu, to India in October 2024.

On January 3, Khaleel met with External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, for bilateral discussions. The talks focused on reviewing the progress made since President Muizzu’s visit and addressing areas requiring further collaboration.

“India deeply values its relationship with the Maldives, and we are committed to supporting the country in achieving shared goals for economic and maritime security,” Jaishankar stated.

The visit also saw the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects in the Maldives under Phase III, facilitated through Indian grant assistance. India continues to focus on grassroots-level support and sustainable development in the region.

Khaleel expressed gratitude for India's timely emergency financial assistance, describing India as the Maldives' "First Responder" during times of need.

“We reaffirm our commitment to work closely with India in realizing the Joint Vision for India-Maldives Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership,” he said.

The strengthened cooperation comes against the backdrop of recent strains in India-Maldives relations. The two countries faced challenges over alleged interference in each other's internal affairs and differing strategic alignments after the new government of Maldives took over nearly 15 months ago.

The deepening India-Maldives partnership comes when regional geopolitics in the Indian Ocean are increasingly influenced by external powers, including China. Strengthening bilateral ties not only serves the interests of both nations but also contributes to the broader stability and security of the Indian Ocean Region.

This visit is part of continued high-level engagements between the two sides and has provided an opportunity to further deepen the bilateral ties for the mutual benefit of the two countries and the Indian Ocean Region.