High power Indian delegation to visit Maldives

A high power Indian business delegation will visit Maldives this week seeking to increase the country's trade with the island nation.
The three-day visit beginning April 27 is organised as a follow-up to the direction from office of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had one to one meeting with Maldives President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom at New Delhi in April last year, Kerala chapter of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations said here.
The visit assumes significance in wake of Male's import from India is stagnated at 11 per cent since last six years while import from countries like China increased from 2.9 per cent to 8.1 per cent, Sri Lanka from 5.8 to 6.9 per cent and Thailand from 5.2 to 6.8 per cent during the period. The FIEO, set up by Union Ministry of Commerce, said that during their meeting Prime Minister Modi and President Gayoom had discussed the biateral trade issues and the need for having more people to people contact for increasing trade between the two countries.

"Trade between India and Maldives was USD 183.38 million during the year 2015-16 and USD 159.13 million in 2016-17 (April to January)," FIEO said in a statement here.
The delegation, headed by A Sakthivel, Regional Chairman, FIEO, comprises exporters, importers and investors in various sectors including building and construction, processed food, textiles and garments, home appliances, fashion accessories, home furnishing and healthcare services.
"Apart from participating in the Happy Ramadan 2017-B2B and B2C Exhibition to be held at Male, the delegation members will be meeting leading industries and trade representatives to explore possibilities of investment, joint ventures and trade opportunities," the statement said.

The agenda of the delegation also includes finding out ways and means to improve trade and investment opportunities in the filed of infrastructure, textiles, agro, food, electronics and other key sectors, Sakthivel said.

He said India is the third larest supplier of goods to Maldives after UAE and Singapore and unless urgent measures have been taken to boost trade, "our share in this market will diminish".
Hence FIEO planned the business delegation comprising 55 delegates from 30 companies with the aim to familiarize the Male population on innovative, quality and competitive pricing of Indian products, Sakthivel said.
"India also focusing Maldives for investments especially for infrastructure and tourism," he said.