Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid is in neighboring India on an official visit.

Upon arrival at New Delhi’s Indhira Gandhi International Airport on Monday evening, FM Shahid was received by High Commissioner of Maldives to India Ibrahim Shaheeb and senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs of India.

His visit comes upon the official invitation of his counterpart, the External Affairs Minister of India Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

Taking to Twitter upon his arrival, FM Shahid revealed that his visit is in keeping with the tradition of high-level exchanges between the two neighboring countries and that he looks forward to discussions with his India counterpart, on enhancing the partnership between the two brotherly countries.

He also expressed keen interest in the bilateral engagements and discussions that will take place as part of his visit.

Discussions will be held between FM Shahid and EAM Jaishankar as well as other high-level officials of the Indian government, regarding strengthening the traditionally close friendly relations between the Maldives and India. The official engagements are scheduled for July 11 and 12.

Further, the visit is expected to mirror the enhancing of bilateral ties between the two countries with the signing of several Memorandums of Understanding (MoU)s scheduled to be exchanged in the field of socioeconomic cooperation.

As part of the official visit, the Maldivian foreign minister is scheduled to deliver the 43rd Sapru House Lecture (SHL) at the Indian Council for World Affairs.

He will also be meeting with several Ambassadors and High Commissioners accredited to the Maldives based in New Delhi.

Bilateral Secretary Dr. Hala Hameed, Joint Secretary Abdul Waris Saeed and senior officials at the foreign ministry are accompanying the foreign minister during the visit.