With a significant improvement in relations between India and the Maldives, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Sunday said the archipelago is a key partner to India in the Indian Ocean region and at the heart of its neighbourhood first policy.

“Maldives is a key partner to India in the Indian Ocean region and it’s at the heart of our neighborhood-first policy. The cooperation between the two countries has moved beyond the traditional role, and today aspires to be a modern partnership,” Mr Jaishankar said after his meeting with his Maldivian counterpart Moosa Zameer, jointly inaugurated the Addu Reclamation Project and Addu Shore Protection Project.

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“Our development cooperation is aimed at touching all facets of people’s lives here and to find ways of bringing tangible benefits to their lives. I think it is a statement in itself that we are today among the largest trading partners of Maldives and witnessing greater investment flows from India to the Maldives, particularly in the tourism sector,” said Mr Jaishankar who was on a three-day visit to the Maldives.

In the last few years, India has invested around $220 million in Addu intending to provide a fair idea of the importance which is attached to regional development in the Maldives.

Mr Jaishankar also mentioned inaugurating the National College of Policing and Law Enforcement Studies in March 2022, which was a $30 million Indian grant-funded project.

He said, “I’m very glad to see that it has become a hub for imparting critical training to NPS personnel in the Maldives.”

India has partnered with the government of Maldives on the Addu Reclamation and Shore Protection Project to find a sustainable way to develop Addu as a regional hub. The reclamation of 184 hectares of land was concluded earlier this year. This ambitious programme of $80 million involves reclamation for tourism development purposes and the overall economic development of Addu.

“Another important project being carried out, with Indian assistance is the redevelopment of the Addu Roads and Drainage Development, with an outlay of $70 million is nearing completion and once completed, will solve problems of waterlogging and roads in Addu” he said

Mr Moosa Zameer posted on X, “Pleased to join the External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar to jointly inaugurate the 4-lane Detour Link road and the ceremony to mark the completion of the shore protection and reclamation project in Addu City.”