Maldives key partner for India in Indian Ocean region: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar
Male, August 11
The Maldives is a key partner for India in the Indian Ocean region and the two nations aspire to turn their cooperation into a modern partnership, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday.
Jaishankar's remarks came as he along with his Maldivian counterpart Moosa Zameer attended the handing over ceremony of Addu Reclamation and Shore Protection Project and inauguration of the four-lane Detour Link road project facilitated by the Government of India under the Line of Credit of EXIM Bank.
"The Maldives for us is a key partner in the Indian Ocean region. It is very much at the heart of our Neighbourhood First policy. And it is, therefore, very natural that the cooperation between our two countries has moved beyond the traditional role. And today really aspires to be a modern partnership," Jaishankar said.
"Our development cooperation is aimed at touching all facets of people's lives and finding ways of bringing tangible benefits to their lives," he said.
In the last few years, India has invested around USD 220 million which provides a fair idea of the importance that India attaches to regional development in the Maldives, he said.
"We are today among the largest trading partners among others. We're also witnessing greater investment flows from India to the Maldives, particularly in the tourism sector," he said.
India has partnered with the government of Maldives on the Addu Reclamation and Shore Protection project to find a sustainable way to develop it as a regional hub, he said.
The reclamation of 184 hectares of land was concluded earlier this year. This ambitious USD 80 million programme involves reclamation for tourism development purposes, as well as for the overall economic development of Addu.
The project will help in the overall growth of the region, bringing in better opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and trade.
"Another important project being carried out with Indian assistance is the redevelopment of the Addu Roads and Drainage development with an outlay of USD 70 million. This project is in the last phase and once completed, will provide a solution to problems of waterlogging of roads in Addu," he said.
"India Maldives Friendship is people-centric," Jaishankar said in a post on X giving details of the India-assisted projects in the Maldives.
"India shares its developmental experiences with its neighbours," he added.
