Saturday, 21 December 2024
Saturday, 21 December 2024
The diplomatic ice between India and Maldives that began in January 2024 over Maldives’ call for Indian troops to move out of the country and a tourism boycott by Indians melted on Monday when Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a press meet together and announced a host of bilateral measures to strengthen ties.
Both the countries inked a currency swap agreement to the tune of $400 million that would help Maldives overcome its foreign exchange reserve crisis. Both the leaders also launched the Rupay card, the India-owned payment service system, for Maldives and inaugurated a new runway at the Hanimadhoo airport in Maldives, which India funded.
“Today, we have inaugurated the redeveloped Hanimaadhoo Airport. Now, the Greater Male Connectivity Project will also be expedited. We will also support the development of a new commercial port in Thilafushi,” Modi told reporters here with Muizzu by his side.
The redevelopment, under an “Indian Line of Credit of USD 132 million”, aims to provide complete new infrastructure including runaway, ATC tower, ARFF block, hangar, cargo facilities, and passenger terminal building, it added.
The prime minister described Maldives as a “close friend” which had an important position in India’s neighbourhood policy and SAGAR vision.
On the use of a Rupay card in Maldives, an India-Maldives video shown at the press meet said, “It will allow Indian tourists to make cashless transactions easily, reducing cost and enhancing convenience, especially in the Maldives tourism sector.”
India has extended vital budgetary support to the Maldives government with the rollover of a USD 50 million Treasury Bill for another year, as the country was grappling with a serious economic downturn.
Muizzu, who is on a four-day state visit, held talks with Prime Minister Modi at the Hyderabad House here. The Maldivian president, accompanied by First Lady Madam Sajidha Mohamed and a Maldivian delegation, arrived in India on Sunday evening.
Earlier, Muizzu was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhawan by President Droupadi Murmu. Prime Minister Modi was also present on the occasion. The tri-services guard of honour was given to Muizzu before he drove down the Rajghat to offer his respects at the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi.
The ties between India and the Maldives came under severe strain since Muizzu, known for his pro-China leanings, took charge of the top office in November last year.
Muizzu won the presidential election on the ‘India out’ campaign and asked New Delhi to withdraw its military personnel posted in the archipelago nation by May this year.
In January this year, PM Modi visited Lakshadweep and posted pictures from his X handle. Many social media users started saying that Lakhshadweep was a better alternative tourist destination to Maldives and encouraged others to choose Lakshadweep over Maldives for tourism.
Ministers in Muizzu’s government engaged in the debate and made uncalled for remarks against PM Modi, which led the Ministry of external affairs to summon Maldives ambassador to India and issue its concerns.
As a consequence of controversy, footfall of Indian tourists to Maldives slipped and finally in June this year.
According to a report in the Malayali Manorama, the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation along with the Maldives Association Travel Agents and Tour Operators and the National Hotels and Guesthouse Association of Maldives conducted a series of roadshows, named ‘Welcome India’ in major Indian metros like Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru to invite Indians back to Maldives.
