S. Jaishankar arrived in Maldives on a three-day visit, met his counterpart Musa Zameer

aajtak.in

• New Delhi,
• 10 August 2024,
• (Updated August 10, 2024, 4:01 AM IST)

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar arrived in Maldives on Friday evening on a three-day official visit to re-evaluate bilateral relations with the Maldives. This is the first high-level visit from India after pro-China President Mohammed Muizzu took office in the archipelago country last year. S. Jaishankar said on Friday that India’s partnership with Maldives is based on a deep desire to work together for each other’s welfare and interests. He emphasized that relations with Male are one of the cornerstones of India’s ‘Neighbor First’ policy.

His visit to Maldives comes just weeks after President Muizzu’s visit to India to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in June.

After talks with his Maldivian counterpart Moosa Zameer, Jaishankar told a media, “India’s partnership with Maldives is based on our deep desire to work together for each other’s welfare and interests. It is a partnership that has always enabled us to respond swiftly and effectively to challenges as seen in the past as well.”

He said, ‘Maldives is one of the cornerstones of our ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, it is important for our ‘Vision Sagar’ as well as our commitment to the ‘Global South’. To paraphrase the words of Prime Minister Narendra Modi – Neighbourhood is a priority for India and Maldives is a priority in the neighbourhood.’

Jaishankar said, “We also share the closest bonds of history and kinship.” Relations between India and the Maldives became quite strained after Muizzu, who is considered pro-China, assumed the top office in November 2023.

First official visit to Maldives
Jaishankar said that this visit is an opportunity to review the achievements made jointly by the two countries and to prepare an aspirational blueprint for the years to come.
This is Jaishankar’s first official visit to the Maldives since assuming office for a second term in June 2024. His last visit was in January 2023.

Jaishankar’s three-day visit till August 11 is taking place at the invitation of his Maldivian counterpart Musa Zameer. Jaishankar will meet President Muizzu on Saturday.