In the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Maldives, former Foreign Minister of the island nation, Abdulla Shahid, hailed India’s persistent assistance to the country and welcomed the Prime Minister’s visit to the nation as a sign of diplomatic boost.
Abdulla Shahid, former Foreign Minister of Maldives, said that, whenever a crisis hit the Island nation, its Indian Ocean neighbour India was always the ‘first responder.’ Indeed, Indians have a big heart, the former Minister reiterated. The statement from Mr. Abdulla Shahid comes as evidence for India’s soft power potential and the nation’s credibility as a responsible neighbour in line with its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.
“Whenever we dial the international line, India responds first. They are always ready to assist the Maldives in the neighbourhood; they are the most generous. India is so close to the Maldives geographically; whenever anything of urgency and distress happens in the Maldives, India has never let us down. The increase in the aid from India in recent times shows their generosity and maturity”, said Abdulla Shahid.
The former Foreign Minister also spoke about the stellar economic growth unveiled in India and how it can be deemed as an opportunity to boost bilateral relations. He said, “There is a huge market next door to us. It is only natural that we tap into the economic boom that is taking place in India. It was unfortunate that there was a dip in Indian tourism around arrivals in the Maldives because of the diplomatic tensions”. However, he expressed confidence and optimism by claiming that Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the country will be a platform to ‘set everything right’.
The statements by Former Minister Abdulla Shahid come at a strategically vital juncture when Prime Minister Modi is visiting the Maldives as a guest of honour for their 60th Independence Day Celebrations and also at an eve when India and the Maldives are witnessing 60 years of diplomatic relations. Also, PM Modi is the first foreign head of state to visit the Maldives since the Mohammed Muizzu government took over the country’s administration. This state visit thus seeks to boost India-Maldives relations in the domain of trade, tourism, infrastructure development and most importantly, the visit helps to leverage relations to ensure maritime security and integrity in the strategically pivotal Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
