EAM Dr S Jaishankar addresses a press conference with his Maldivian counterpart Moosa Zameer in Male, Maldives

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has said that India’s partnership with Maldives is based on its deep desire to work together for each other’s welfare and interests. Addressing a press conference with his Maldivian counterpart Moosa Zameer after their talks in Male, Dr. Jaishankar said, the archipelagic state is one of the cornerstones of India’s Neighbourhood First Policy. 

In a social media post, Dr Jaishankar said, he held productive discussions with his Maldivian counterpart. He said, the agenda covered their engagement in development partnership, capacity building, bilateral and regional security, trade and digital cooperation. 

The two leaders jointly inaugurated six High Impact Community Development Projects in areas of street lighting, mental



health, children’s speech therapy and special education. In their presence, an MoU was also inked between National Payments Corporation of India and Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Maldives on introduction of a digital payment system in the Maldives.

Maldives Foreign Affairs Minister hailed the meeting as a milestone of India’s commitment to community empowerment in Maldives. External Affairs Minister Jaishankar reached Male last evening on a three-day official visit to Maldives to reset the bilateral relationship with the archipelagic state. Dr Jaishankar’s trip to the Maldives comes weeks after President Mohamed Muizzu’s visit to India in June to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.