Giving a boost to their bilateral ties in the fields of trade, defence and cyber security, India and Maldives on Tuesday inked six pacts with Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing a 100 million dollar financial aid for infrastructure development of the island nation.
These agreements were signed between the two countries after talks between visiting Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Prime Minister Modi. He said India will continue to be the “first responder” to any need or crisis facing Maldives.
After wide-ranging talks with Solih, Modi also said India will provide 24 vehicles and a naval vessel to the Maldivian security forces, besides developing police infrastructure in 61 islands in that country.
The Prime Minister in his statement, in the presence of Solih, said India "has been and will continue" to be the "first responder" to any need or crisis facing the Maldives. The bolstering of bilateral defence and security ties including in the maritime domain comes in the backdrop of concerns over China's growing forays into the Indian Ocean region, which is strategically critical for India.
The Maldivian president, who arrived here on Monday on a four-day visit, said his government is fully committed to taking the bilateral ties to new heights. "Our relationship with India will always be of the highest priority.
The Maldives will always remain a true friend of India, firmly committed to our shared vision of peace and development in our countries and the region," Solih said. The six pacts inked between the two sides will facilitate cooperation in capacity building, cyber security, housing, disaster management and infrastructure development in the Maldives. The Maldives is one of India's key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean Region and the overall bilateral ties including in areas of defence and security have been on an upward trajectory in the last few years.
Modi said the India-Maldives partnership is not only working in the interest of the citizens of both countries but also becoming a "source" of peace, stability and prosperity in the region. The two leaders also virtually witnessed the pouring of the first concrete for the ambitious greater-Male connectivity project.
In August last year, the island nation sealed a contract for the mimplementation of the India-funded connectivity project, billed as the largest infrastructure initiative being rolled out in the island nation. Under the Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP) project, a 6.74 km long bridge and causeway link will be built to connect the capital city Male with adjoining islands of Villingli, Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi. "We welcomed the beginning of work on the greater Male connectivity projects. It will be the biggest infra project.
We also reviewed projects for the construction of 4,000 social housing units in Greater Male," Modi said. The Prime Minister said India will additionally provide financial support for 2,000 social housing units. “We have also decided to provide an additional line of credit of USD 100 million so that all projects can be completed in a time-bound manner," Modi added.
The Prime Minister said there has been a renewed vigour in the friendly relations between India and Maldives and the closeness has increased. He termed as “serious” the threat of trans-national crime, terrorism and drug trafficking in the Indian Ocean.
Therefore, close contact and coordination between India and Maldives in the field of defence and security are vital for the peace and stability of the entire region" Modi said.
The Prime Minister said India will also assist the Maldives in achieving its target of net zero carbon emissions by 2030. Solih thanked India for its generous assistance when his country was reeling under the COVID-19 pandemic and said the two leaders also discussed the challenge of terrorism.
"We both reiterated our firm commitment towards work against terrorism and strengthen cooperation in the maritime safety and security in the Indian Ocean Region," he said. Referring to the cyber security pact, he said it is based on "equality, reciprocity and mutual benefit".