India's External Affairs Minister arrives in Maldives on an official visit

The Minister of External Affairs of India, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is in the Maldives on an official visit.

The Indian External Affairs Minister arrived at Gan International Airport on Saturday evening and was received by Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid, Addu City Mayor Ali Nizar, MPs representing Addu constituency in the People’s Majlis as well as senior officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The visit came upon the official invitation of FM Shahid and will see the signing of the Peering Agreement for connectivity between the Higher Education Network of Maldives and the National Knowledge Network of India and jointly launch the network.

Further, Dr. Jaishankar will be conducting official talks with FM Shahid during the visit, during which the progress of bilateral cooperation and the progress of many development projects being implemented under the Indian grant assistance and loan schemes, will be reviewed.

Matters of mutual interest on issues of regional and international concern will also be discussed at the talks .

Following this, both ministers will observe the signing of several Memorandums of Understanding and Agreements. This include the Memorandum of Understanding for reciprocal recognition of Covid-19 vaccination certificate, which would facilitate easier travel between Maldives and India.

Dr. Jaishankar will also participate in the inauguration ceremony of projects undertaken with the support of Indian grant assistance, including the National College of Policing and Law Enforcement in Addu City.

The Indian External Affairs Minister is also scheduled to pay a courtesy call on President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

In addition to this, he will also participate in the inauguration ceremony of the rehabilitation center and the Tourism Zone in Addu City developed under the Indian High Impact Community Development Scheme and witness the ground-breaking of the Addu Roads and Storm Water Drainage System Project , and the contract awarding ceremony of Addu reclamation project, both funded under the Line of Credit facilitated by the Government of India.

The visit will also see the Indian External Affairs Minister inaugurating the Expanded Coastal Radar System.

This is Dr. Jaishankar’s third visit to the Maldives,since assuming office in May 2019,

As this is the first time that Maldives has hosted an official bilateral visit outside the capital Malé City, the visit will be of historic significance.