Jaishankar To Visit Maldives On Two-Day Trip From Friday To Strengthen Bilateral Ties

Jaishankar's visit comes after the recent official trip of Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, to India for the swearing-in ceremony of the new Cabinet and Council of Ministers. 

File photo of S Jaishankar and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu.

Source : X/Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will be on a two-day visit to Maldives from Friday (August 9) to strengthen the bilateral ties and explore avenues to enhance the relationship between the two nations. 

Jaishankar's visit comes after the recent official trip of Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, to India for the swearing-in ceremony of the new Cabinet and Council of Ministers. 

Jaishankar had visited the island nation in January 2023.

"Maldives is India’s key maritime neighbour and an important partner in India’s ‘Neighbourhood First' Policy and our Vision ‘SAGAR’ i.e. Security and Growth for All in the Region," a statement of the MEA said.

The visit is aimed at strengthening the close partnership between the two countries and to explore avenues to enhance the bilateral relationship further, it added.

Muizzu, after coming to power last year on an anti-India campaign, made sure that India removes the over 80 Indian military personnel posted in the Maldives, which consists of around 1,192 coral islands. The military personnel were repatriated from three aviation platforms and replaced by civilians from India by the May 10 deadline set by Mr. Muizzu.

Muizzu came to power after defeating the Maldives’ ‘pro-India’ former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). 

Zameer, who visited India from May 8 to 10 on his very first bilateral official visit, said he and his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar engaged in bilateral discussions on May 9 to address pivotal matters aimed at expediting the projects initiated with India's financial assistance.

Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer visited India on May 8 on his first bilateral official visit and engaged in bilateral discussions with S Jaishankar to address pivotal matters aimed at expediting the projects initiated with India's financial assistance.

Later in June this year, the Maldives President attended the oath-taking ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.