“It was a pleasure to meet Dr S Jaishankar today and join him in the official handover of water and sewerage projects in 28 islands of the Maldives,” he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Muizzu also thanked the government of India and PM Modi for the support provided to Maldives.He said, “I thank the Government of India, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi for always supporting the Maldives. Our enduring partnership continues to strengthen, bringing our nations closer through cooperation in security, development, and cultural exchange. Together, we build a brighter, more prosperous future for the region.”
Jaishankar held a meeting with Muizzu in the archipelago nation. During the meeting, Jaishankar stressed India’s dedication to strengthening the bilateral relations between the two countries, with the aim of benefiting the citizens of both nations and the region as a whole. This visit marks the first high-level engagement from India since President Muizzu, known for his pro-China stance, took office in the previous year.
Following the meeting, Jaishankar shared a message on X stating, “Privileged to call on President Dr Mohamed Muizzu. Conveyed greetings of PM @NarendraModi. Committed to deepening India-Maldives ties for the benefit of our people and the region.”
The External Affairs Minister’s visit to the Maldives follows President Muizzu’s trip to India in June, where he participated in the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.
Esrlier, Muizzu recognised India consistently being “one of the closest” allies to Maldives. “India has always been one of the closest allies and invaluable partners, facilitating and providing aid whenever Maldives has needed it,” acknowledged Muizzu according to a press release issued by the Maldives government.