Male [Maldives], July 26 (ANI): Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu acknowledged India’s longstanding cooperation with the island nation and emphasized the importance of deepening bilateral ties. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Maldives’ 60th Independence Day celebrations, Muizzu expressed optimism about the future of India-Maldives relations, particularly in areas of economic and technological collaboration.
“We all see how India has helped the Maldives in the past, and nobody will doubt how India will be a very crucial partner going forward,” President Muizzu said, highlighting India’s continued support and engagement.
When asked about the agreements with India related to the Line of Credit, debt repayment, Free Trade Agreement (FTA), and the implementation of India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in the Maldives, Muizzu said these initiatives would greatly benefit both Maldivian citizens and Indian tourists.
“Definitely, it will greatly help the Maldives going forward. We are really looking forward to implementing the agreements and the MoUs we have signed. I think both our countries’ people are looking forward because it will definitely benefit the tourists who come here and the Maldivians who go to India. We are very hopeful. We’ve just started on it, and it will definitely help locals and tourists from India,” he added.
Muizzu also thanked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for accepting his invitation to attend the Independence Day celebrations in Male. “On behalf of all the Maldivians, I sincerely thank Prime Minister Modi for accepting my invitation to come to the Maldives on this very important historic occasion,” he said.
Expressing hope for a boost in Indian tourism following PM Modi’s visit, Muizzu said, “India is one of the major countries that helps the Maldives with tourism. And definitely, with the Prime Minister’s visit, it is going to increase a lot. I’m sure people-to-people exchange between the two countries will greatly boost.”
Praising the Indian Prime Minister, Muizzu remarked, “PM Modi is a wonderful person who is very fond of building relationships between India and its neighbors. The Maldives and India have a very good relationship that goes back centuries, and with PM Modi’s leadership, cooperation between the two governments is going to be even more prosperous in the days ahead.”
When asked about a potential visit to India, the Maldivian President responded, “I hope so. I don’t know whether this year or not, but maybe in the near future.”
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