Development of India-Maldives ties based on mutual interests & reciprocal sensitivity, says EAM Jaishankar
Bilateral cooperation has enhanced the security and well-being of Maldives, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar said as he met his Maldivian counterpart, Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer, in New Delhi on Thursday (May 9, 2024).
 
In his remarks during the meeting, he referred to India’s support over the years and stated, “Our cooperation has also enhanced the security and well-being of your country through shared activities, equipment provisioning, capacity building and training”.
 
Significantly, EAM Jaishankar also emphasised that the development of ties between India and the Maldives is based on mutual interests and reciprocal sensitivity.
 
“As close and proximate neighbours, the development of our ties is obviously based on mutual interests and reciprocal sensitivity,” he stated. He went on to explain that as far as India is concerned, these are articulated in terms of the Neighbourhood First policy and SAGAR vision. “I hope that our meeting today has enabled us to strengthen the convergence of our perspectives in various domains,” EAM Jaishankar remarked.
 
Noting that the world was passing through a volatile and uncertain period, he remarked, “In such times, as we saw during Covid, during natural disasters and economic difficulties, close partnerships with neighbours are of great value”.
 
“It is in our common interest that we reach an understanding on how best we take our relationship forward,” he pointed out.
 
He utilised the opportunity to speak about India’s development assistance to the country. “Our projects have benefited the lives of people of your country; contributed directly to the quality of life. They range from infrastructure projects and social initiatives to medical evacuation and health facilities,” he stated.
 
India had also provided financial support on favourable terms to the Maldives in the past, he added. Additionally, India has been a First Responder on numerous occasions for Maldives, he said.