Maldives a key ally for India in Indian Ocean region, says EAM Jaishankar | External Affairs Defence Security News

Jaishankar also highlighted other projects being implemented in the Maldives with India’s support. | Source: X/@MMuizzu

4 minutes of reading Last update: August 11, 2024 | 19:45 IST

The Maldives is a key partner of India in the Indian Ocean region and both countries are seeking to transform their cooperation into a modern partnership, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Sunday.

Jaishankar made the remarks along with his Maldivian counterpart Moosa Zameer at the handover ceremony of the Addu River Reclamation and Protection Project and the inauguration of the four-lane Detour Link road project, financed by the Indian government under the EXIM Bank credit facility.

“The Maldives is a key partner for us in the Indian Ocean region. It is at the heart of our Neighbourhood First policy. Therefore, it is very natural that the cooperation between our two countries has gone beyond the traditional role. And today it truly aspires to be a modern partnership,” Jaishankar said.

“Our development cooperation aims to reach out to all aspects of people’s lives and find ways to bring them tangible benefits,” he said.

He added that over the last few years, India has invested around $220 million, which gives a good understanding of the importance India attaches to the regional development of the Maldives.

“We are one of the largest trading partners among others today. We are also witnessing greater investment flows from India to the Maldives, especially in the tourism sector,” he said.

India has partnered with the Maldives government on the Addu Reclamation and Shore Protection Project to find a sustainable way to develop it as a regional hub, he added.

The rehabilitation of 184 hectares of land was completed earlier this year. This ambitious $80 million program includes rehabilitation for tourism development as well as for the overall economic development of Addu.

The project will contribute to the overall development of the region by offering better opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and trade.

“Another important project being implemented with Indian support is the reconstruction of Addu Roads and Drainage Development, for which $70 million has been allocated. This project is in its final phase and once completed, it will solve the problem of road flooding in Addu,” he said.

“The Addu bypass road opened today, which is the reason for our meeting, is an important element of this project and will greatly facilitate connectivity within the atoll,” he said.

“With the Indian credit line, we have focused not only on developing Addu as a region but also on its connectivity to the outside world,” he said.

The Maldivian government, operating under the Indian LOC, is also undertaking the reconstruction of Gan International Airport, a $29 million project to facilitate connectivity, which will connect Addu Atoll with the Maldives and the rest of the world.

“This will boost investor confidence and increase local tourism in Gan and the southern atolls, and broader economic benefits are expected for many local communities,” Jaishankar said.

India places equal emphasis on community development projects in the Maldives.

“We are already partners in 65 projects, 12 or five of which have already been delivered. We are excited to see this high-impact Community Development Project model succeed, expand its reach and increase its presence on an exponential scale,” he said.

Jaishankar also highlighted other projects being implemented in the Maldives with Indian support.

India remains open to the changing needs and priorities of its Maldivian friends, and both governments strive to provide them with solutions tailored to their needs.

He also congratulated the government and people of the Maldives, especially the people of the southern part of the island, for the implementation of these two projects.

“They are a testament to the critical core of our partnership, envisioned by the Maldives and delivered by India. I am confident that these projects will have a transformative impact on the region’s economy and help spur development for many generations to come,” he said.

“The India Maldives Friendship Initiative is people-centric,” Jaishankar said in a post on X, giving details of projects in the Maldives supported by India.

“India is sharing its development experiences with its neighbours,” he added.

(Only the headline and image of the report may have been edited by the Business Standard team; the rest of the content is automatically generated from a syndicated feed.)

First published: August 11, 2024 | 19:45 IST