India has once again assured that Maldives will be “priority” when an India-made vaccine is commercially available, adding that Maldives "enjoys a very special and central place” in India's Neighbourhood First policy.

The country’s Foreign Secretary, Harsh V Shringla, made the statement during a ceremony held in capital Male’ on Monday, where four MoUs were signed. The foreign secretary arrived on a two-day official visit on Sunday.

Speaking after the signing ceremony, Shringla highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s words during his state visit to the Maldives in June 2019.

Noting that the PM had stated that “Neighbourhood First is [India'] priority, and in the neighbourhood Maldives is priority”, Shringla stated “it is no coincidence that Maldives was the first and largest recipient of India’s Covid-19 assistance in the neighbourhood”.

Further highlighting India’s assistance to the Maldives following the Covid-19 pandemic, Shringla said that the Maldives-India cooperation “will be continued beyond Covid-19 and will manifest itself whenever the Maldives requires Indian assistance of any kind”.

The foreign secretary also noted India’s plans to make Covid-19 vaccine “both accessible and affordable”, adding that Maldives will be given priority in this context as well.

The Indian senior official assured that the Maldives-India cooperation "will always be focused on the welfare of the people and based on the requirements and priorities of Maldives".

Speaking regarding the agreements signed on Monday, FS Shringla stated that they are "emblematic of [the] strong development partnership which is multi-faceted and designed to meet the specific requirements of the government and people of Maldives".