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Prime Minister Modi, the highest leader to have attended the inauguration of the 54-year-old veteran politician as the seventh president, met Solih shortly after the ceremony at the national football stadium here and promised all his assistance for the peaceful, democratic and prosperous country country attempt.
Sitting between former presidents Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and Mohamed Nasheed, Prime Minister Modi embraced the two leaders and was seen chatting with them. Former Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga was also present.
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Solih, as a candidate of the Maldivian Democratic Party, had surprisingly defeated the strong man Abdulla Yameen in the elections of 23 September.
At the meeting, Modi and Solih agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and security in the Indian Ocean and paying attention to each other's concerns and aspirations for the stability of the region, said the joint statement. .
The two leaders, while noting the resilience of relations between India and the Maldives, expressed confidence in renewing close ties of cooperation and friendship with the election of Solih to the presidency Maldives.
Both leaders expressed their unwavering commitment and support for increased cooperation in the fight against terrorism, both in the region and elsewhere.
President Solih also briefed Prime Minister Modi on the country's critical economic situation when he took office.
The two leaders discussed ways in which India can continue its development partnership, particularly to help the new government fulfill its commitments to the people of the Maldives.
President Solih underscored the urgent need to increase housing and infrastructure development, as well as establish water supply and sanitation systems in remote islands, the statement said. .
Modi said he was eager to work with Solih to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.
He assured Solih of India's strong commitment to help the Maldives achieve sustainable social and economic development.
He also said that India was ready to assist in any way possible and suggested that the two sides meet as soon as possible to elaborate details in line with Maldives requirements.
Prime Minister Modi also welcomed the growing opportunities for Indian companies to invest in the Maldives in different sectors, in the mutual interest of both countries.
Recognizing that nationals of both countries travel a lot between the two countries, the leaders also agreed on the need to facilitate visa procedures.
Modi also had contacts with Maldivian rulers and other parts of the world during the swearing-in ceremony.
Upon his arrival in the Maldivian capital, Prime Minister Modi received a warm welcome and was received by the new Speaker of the Parliament of Maldives, Qasim Ibrahim.
It was Modi's first visit to the Maldives as prime minister. The last visit of an Indian Prime Minister to the island nation of the Indian Ocean was made by Manmohan Singh in 2011.
The visit underscored India's role as a reliable neighbor, supporting the Maldives in their progress and security, said Foreign Ministry Spokesman Raveesh Kumar.
The Maldives is the only SAARC country with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation that Modi did not visit. His visit to the strategically vital island of Maldives and a popular tourist destination was canceled in March 2015 due to the unstable political situation at the time.
Relations between India and the Maldives were severely tested by Yameen, who was perceived as close to China. Some decisions made by Yameen, including the imposition of restrictions on working visas for Indians and the signing of a new free trade agreement with Beijing, have also failed in New Delhi.
Relations between India and the Maldives further deteriorated after the imposition of the emergency by Yameen on February 5 this year. India had criticized its decision and called on its government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The emergency lasted 45 days.
