In a recent meeting with Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Khaleel, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar underlined the importance of the Maldives in India’s foreign policy. He emphasized the close bilateral connections between India and the Maldives, calling the country a “concrete expression” of India’s Neighbourhood First policy. During Khaleel’s first official visit to India, Jaishankar greeted him warmly and recognized the progress their relationship had made, including the creation of a new framework for the use of local currency in cross-border transactions.
Declaring that “India has always stood by Maldives,” Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s commitment to aiding the Maldives and emphasized the significance of their collaboration in a number of areas, such as economic cooperation and marine security. He pointed out that both nations had taken part in a number of projects meant to improve
Prior pledges made during a bilateral meeting between Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October 2024 were also discussed. They decided to tackle common issues in the area and improve marine cooperation.
