Defense Minister meets Indian Ambassador
The meeting comes at a time of tense relations between Maldives and India
Indian Ambassador Akhilesh Mishra (l) with Defense Minister Adam Shareef
Defense Minister Adam Shareef has met with Indian Ambassador to the Maldives, Akhilesh Mishra.
The Indian Ambassador shared photos of the meeting in a tweet on Thursday night.
In the Twitter post, Mr Mishra said he was delighted to call on the Defense Minister, and thanked him in Dhivehi.
The meeting comes at a time of tense relations between Maldives and India.
Three members of the Gaaf Alif Atoll Council had been suspended recently for meeting with Mishra, after the Local Government Authority (LGA) issued an order requiring councils to seek permission from the Home Ministry before meeting with foreign dignitaries.
The strained relations between the countries came about due to the current administration increasing its ties with China, India’s regional rival. President Abdulla Yameen has signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China, and has also agreed to allow the country to build a center in the Maldives region to monitor the Indian Ocean.
