"Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Khaleel Visits India to Strengthen Bilateral Ties in Maritime Security, Trade, and Investment".
International
Abdulla Khaleel, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives, visited India officially from January 2 to 4, 2025. The purpose of his visit was to strengthen the relationship between the two countries in areas like maritime security, trade, and investment.
- This was the first official visit to India by Mohamed Muizzu, the President of the Maldives, in 2025, marking the first diplomatic visit to India in the year, during which significant agreements were signed to strengthen bilateral ties; notably, he had also visited India in October 2024.
- On January 3, 2025, Minister Abdulla Khaleel met with India’s Union Minister of External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar, in New Delhi, where they discussed the growing economic partnership, the progress of projects funded by Indian grants and loans, and finalized a plan to promote local currency usage for cross-border trade.
- India and the Maldives signed an MoU to implement the third phase of High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDP) in the Maldives, with the Indian government providing financial assistance to support these initiatives.
Main Point :- (i) India and the Maldives initially signed an MoU in March 2019, under which India agreed to provide a grant of MVR 85 million (Maldivian Rufiyaa) for High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) to be executed by local authorities. The agreement was later revised in July 2021, increasing the grant amount to MVR 155 million.
(ii) In January 2023, India and the Maldives agreed to provide an additional MVR 100 million for High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs), including initiatives such as delivering two sea ambulances to the Maldives' Defence Ministry and developing three eco-tourism zones in Addu City.
(iii) In June and July 2023, India and the Maldives signed 19 MoUs (10 in June and 9 in July) under the second phase of High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs). According to India's Ministry of External Affairs, a total of 47 HICDPs have been initiated so far, with 8 projects already completed and inaugurated.
About the Maldives
President: Mohamed Muizzu
Currency: Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR)
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