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Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Khaleel arrived in Delhi on Thursday on a three-day official visit to India.
This is his first official visit to India. According to a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement, Maldives Foreign Minister Khaleel will meet Jaishankar on Friday. https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1874829265889636493 In a post on X, spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal welcomed the Foreign Minister on his first official visit to India and highlighted the Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership, which was discussed during President Mohamed Muizzu's five-day visit to India in October 2024. "Working towards India-Maldives joint vision of a 'Comprehensive Economic & Maritime Security Partnership'. Warm welcome to FM @abkhaleel of Maldives on his first official visit to India," Jaiswal said on X. In October 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Muizzu held extensive bilateral talks, aiming to forge a comprehensive economic and maritime security partnership. Both leaders acknowledged the shared challenges in the Indian Ocean Region. They committed to enhancing maritime and security cooperation, with India pledging to provide expertise, boost capabilities, and engage in joint measures to help the Maldives address both traditional and non-traditional maritime threats. These include piracy, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, drug trafficking, and terrorism within their Exclusive Economic Zone. Both nations also agreed that India would support the timely completion of the Maldives National Defence Force's (MNDF) 'Ekatha' harbour project at Uthuru Thila Falhu (UTF). Meanwhile, Muizzu signed the condolence book at the Indian High Commission in the Maldives last Sunday, following the death of former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on December 26. In his message, President Muizzu praised Manmohan Singh as a great statesman and also reflected on Singh's historic visit to the Maldives in November 2011. "In his message, the President stated that Manmohan Singh was a great statesman and reminisced about the historic visit of Singh to the Maldives in November 2011, which marked a momentous milestone that further cemented the bonds of friendship between India and Maldives," according to Maldives President's office statement. "The message also conveyed sympathies to Singh's family and the government and people of India, on behalf of the Government and people of the Maldives, during this time of profound loss," it added. In response, the High Commission of India in Maldives shared a post on X appreciating or being the first dignitary to sign the condolence book. "We appreciate the thoughtful gesture of HEP @MMuizzu for being the first dignitary to sign the condolence book @HCIMaldives on sad demise of Hon'ble former PM Dr Manmohan Singh. His words of support is truly valued & comforting," High Commission of India in Maldives said on X. Manmohan Singh passed away on Thursday night at the age of 92 at AIIMS Delhi. (ANI)
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