PM Modi to attend swearing-in ceremony of new President of Maldives

New Delhi, November 16:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Maldives’ capital Male on Saturday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of country’s new President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

Prime Minister is the highest-ranking leader attending the ceremony and will be accompanied by a high-level delegation including National security adviser and Foreign Secretary.

He will also have bilateral talks with Solih after the swearing-in ceremony and return to New Delhi late evening.

This is the first visit of PM Modi to Maldives and marks the beginning of a new chapter in Indo-Maldives relations. The ties between the two countries were strained during the regime of outgoing President Abdulla Yameen and this will be the first high-level visit in the last three years.

The visit is expected to give a new momentum to bilateral relations under the new government and Solih is likely to visit India in near future. The smooth transfer of power will mark the restoration of democracy in Maldives as well as a major diplomatic boost for India.

An understanding may be reached during  Modi’s visit to expedite the existing Indian projects and bring new investments in the country.

The outgoing government had delayed a number of Indian projects, including a training academy for the Maldivian police and setting up of a coastal radar surveillance system.

Indo-Maldivian defence partnership is likely to be expanded to cover various areas in the maritime sector.