MALDIVES FM ON THREE-DAY VISIT TO INDIA

In what is turning out to be a huge diplomatic advantage for India, Maldivian Foreign Minister and PresidentElect of the 76th General Assembly of the United Nations Abdulla Shahid will visit New Delhi on a three-day visit starting Thursday.

The visit will reinforce the already close ties between India and its tiny maritime southwestern neighbour despite attempts by some vested interests in the archipelago nation to disrupt it.

India, which is currently a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC), had also recently strongly supported the Maldivian Foreign Minister in his successful electoral bid at the UN. Shahid will hold talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar during his visit and also call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

It may be noted that India will be the first country that Shahid will be visiting in his official capacity as the UN’s PGA-Elect since his election at the UN last month.

It may be recalled that PM Modi had just a few days ago spoken to Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in a conversation during which both top leaders had reviewed the progress of India-supported development projects in the archipelago nation.

Modi had also reiterated that the Maldives is a “central pillar” in India’s Neighbourhood First policy. There have been concerns in New Delhi over attempts by some vested interests in the Maldives to whip up anti-Indian propaganda.

Under Maldivian President Solih, India and the Maldives have been the closest of friends once again.

The Maldivian President has strengthened ties with New Delhi in the past more than two and a half years and reversed the widely-perceived slant towards China that the Maldives had adopted during the controversial tenure of his predecessor Abdullah Yameen.