After a successful trip to the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew to the Maldives on Thursday. This is the second stop in his two-country tour. His visit is seen as an important step in improving relations between India and the Maldives. Modi is visiting the Maldives on the invitation of President Mohamed Muizzu. He will be there from July 25 to 26. On Friday, he will also attend the Maldives’s 60th Independence Day celebrations in the capital city, Malé, as the chief guest.
This visit is important because it’s the first big meeting between the two countries since President Muizzu came to power in 2023. After his election, the Maldives seemed to change its approach to foreign relations. Modi and Muizzu are likely to talk about working together in areas like security at sea, trade, and other key partnerships that help both countries.
Ahead of the visit, the Prime Minister said he looked forward to meeting President Muizzu and other political leaders of the Indian Ocean archipelago to advance the joint vision of a Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership and to deepen cooperation for peace, prosperity, and stability in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
“I am confident that the visit will yield tangible outcomes, benefiting our people and advancing our Neighbourhood First Policy,” the PM said.
PM Modi’s Maldives Visit: What’s on the Agenda?
PM Modi will hold detailed discussions with President Mohamed Muizzu and launch several development projects that India has helped build in the island country, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said this visit is special because it is the first official visit by any world leader that President Muizzu is hosting since he took office in November 2023.
Misri also mentioned that both countries had agreed last year on a plan called the India-Maldives Joint Vision for a Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership. This plan is expected to be a main topic during Modi’s visit.
India’s High Commissioner to the Maldives, G. Balasubramanian, added that several agreements (MOUs) will be signed between the two countries. Modi and Muizzu will hold meetings at the President’s office, and some India-funded projects through loans, credit lines, or grants will be officially launched or handed over.
On the second day of the visit, more meetings are expected. In the evening, PM Modi will attend the Maldives’s Independence Day celebrations as the guest of honour, after which he will wrap up his visit.
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