EAM S Jaishankar arrives in Maldives to boost bilateral ties

External Affair Minister S Jaishankar arrived in the Maldives on a two-day visit from March 26 to March 27 after he got an invite from his Maldivian counterpart.

"Arrived in the Maldives to a warm welcome by FM @abdulla_shahid [Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid]. Looking forward to my talks with him this evening. #IndiaMaldives special partnership poised to deepen further," Jaishankar said.

Earlier today, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a press release said that EAM will hold discussions with his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid.

"EAM visit will see the signing of several agreements related to the bilateral development cooperation, inauguration/handing-over and launch of a number of key India-supported projects that will contribute to the socio-economic development of the Maldives and enhance its security," the MEA release said.

After this, Jaishankar will make a three-day visit to Sri Lanka from March 28 that will include his participation in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Ministerial Meeting on 29 March 2022 in Colombo.

Jaishankar's visit to Sri Lanka from March 28 follows the visits to India by Minister of Finance of Sri Lanka, Basil Rajapaksa in December 2021 and earlier this month and that of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, GL Peiris in February 2022.

"The bilateral meetings and interactions which EAM will have in Sri Lanka highlight the priority that Sri Lanka occupies for India," the MEA statement said.

"Both Maldives and Sri Lanka are India's key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean Region and occupy a special place in Prime Minister's vision of 'SAGAR' and Neighbourhood First. EAM's visit is testimony to the importance that India attaches to its close and friendly relations with the Maldives and Sri Lanka," the statement further said.