Maldives' President to begin two-day visit to India from tomorrow

Maldives President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom will be paying a two-day visit to India, starting from tomorrow.

His official delegation includes Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dunya Maumoon, Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Dr. Mohamed Shainee and three members of the Maldivian Parliament.

The programme in Delhi for President Yameen's visit will include a meeting and working lunch with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 11 and a call on his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee the same evening.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj would meet President Yameen April 11.

India and Maldives commemorated 50 years of diplomatic relations last year. Both the countries have historically had a close relationship, both as neighbours and friends in the Indian Ocean region. Ancient ties of trade, culture, linguistic and religious interfaces have provided the foundation for relations in present times.

President Yameen's first state visit after assumption of office was to India in January 2014.

He was amongst the SAARC leaders who attended the swearing in of the present Government in May 2014.

The External Affairs Minister visited Maldives in November 2014 and again in October 2015 for the India-Maldives Joint Commission, which was held after fifteen years.