Maldives, India talk on ways to “further accelerate” ongoing projects
The Maldivian foreign minister met with India's representative to Maldives on Tuesday
Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid and India\'s High Commissioner to Maldives, Sunjay Sudhir
Maldives and India have discussed on way to “further accelerate” the implementation of ongoing projects.
The discussion was held during a meeting between Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid and Indian High Commissioner to Maldives, Sunjay Sudhir, on Tuesday.
Noting that work on “the number of small and large projects” funded by India continues, the Maldivian foreign minister via Twitter said that he and the high commissioner “took stock of the progress” of these projects and discussed “ways to further accelerate implementation”.
While India is funding a number of development projects in the Maldives, the high commission previously noted that its focus is on supporting projects “that benefit the local communities as well as build big infrastructure projects which benefit Maldivian economy”.
There are about 30 small and medium High-Impact Community Development projects ongoing under Indian grant assistance, worth approximately USD 13 million.
While the neighbouring nation’s foreign secretary visited the Maldives back in November, four MoUs were signed during the trip; on the Greater Malé Connectivity Project, Cooperation on Sports and Youth Affairs, as well as, two projects under the High Impact Community Development for the Establishment of the Agricultural Research Centre in HDh. Hanimaadhoo, and the Development of a Drug Detoxification Centre in Addu City Hulhudhoo.
In September, the Indian government handed over USD 250 million to the Maldives, as budgetary support to mitigate the economic impact of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, making it the largest single donor assistance the island nation has received.
Further, India’s Exim Bank has extended three Loan of Credits to Maldives totaling USD 1.2 billion.
