With promises, Prime Minister Modi addresses Maldivian President

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulates Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Saturday. (Twitter / @ narendramodi)

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi among his audience, Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said Saturday that he would strengthen bilateral relations with India and neighboring countries and would work for stability in the country. Indian Ocean.

Modi, who was sitting between former presidents of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed and Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, met Solih and hugged him after the swearing in of the new president. It was the first time that Modi was witnessing the swearing in of a foreign leader.

Modi and Solih, who had a bilateral meeting just after the swearing-in ceremony, "agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and security in the Indian Ocean and of being attentive the concerns and aspirations of everyone as to the stability of the region, "a joint statement said.

This initiative aims to address the concerns arising from China's dynamic activities in the Indian Ocean region. Three Chinese Navy ships were moored in Male last August. Solih informed Modi of the critical economic situation in which his country is located and the two leaders discussed ways in which India could continue its development partnership, in particular to help the new government honor its commitments to the country. population of Maldives.

"In particular, President Solih stressed the urgent need to further develop housing and infrastructure, as well as to establish water supply and sanitation systems in the remote islands," the statement said.
The two leaders also decided that the Maldivian Foreign Minister would visit India on November 26 and advance discussions on the economic situation.

Modi assured Solih of India's strong commitment to help the Maldives achieve sustainable social and economic development. He also indicated that India was ready to assist in any way possible and suggested that the two sides meet as soon as possible to settle the details in accordance with the requirements of the Maldives.

While former president Abdulla Yameen had claimed unprecedented infrastructural development in the island nation, he was widely perceived as part of the Chinese model of "debt-servicing debt," which can be used by Beijing to access the country's natural resources as well as for strategic reasons. . According to experts, Chinese loans to projects already account for about 70% of the Maldives' public debt.

In advocating for an expansion of the Indian footprint, Modi welcomed "increased 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," says the joint statement. In the Maldives, Indian workers and professionals faced visa and work permit problems due to deteriorating links.

Modi and Solih also expressed their "unwavering commitment and support for increased cooperation in the fight against terrorism, both in the region and elsewhere".

The Maldives have been confronted with a rising wave of Islamic fundamentalism in recent years. It reportedly provided between 50 and 200 fighters to the Islamic State and Maldivian civil society has witnessed an increase in religious intolerance and violent extremism.

Official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Raveesh Kumar, tweeted: "The Prime Minister attended the inaugural ceremony and congratulated President @ibusolih. The visit testifies to India's willingness to help the government and people of the #Maldives build a peaceful, democratic and prosperous country. "

The spokesman tweeted pictures of the inaugural ceremony saying, "Be part of a special moment. The President of the Maldives, Mr. Solih, in his address to the Majlis of the People: We will strive to strengthen existing ties with India. The Maldives will now strengthen their common role of maintaining lasting peace and harmony in the Indian Ocean. "

New Delhi breathed a sigh of relief after Solih's victory in last September's presidential elections, as relations between India and the Maldives had deteriorated in recent years, with Yameen in power. The trampling of democratic processes by Yameen and his shift towards China have caused great concern in New Delhi.

Yameen's authoritarian approach encouraged former Nasheed and Gayoom Presidents to join forces and form a common opposition. They had introduced Solih to the position of presidential candidate. According to some sources, it was quite normal for Modi to be seated between Gayoom and Nasheed, these two leaders being perceived as the powers behind President Solih.

Yameen, accused of siphoning funds, is likely to be prosecuted. In his inaugural speech, Solih said, "While I am assuming my duties, billions of Rufiyaa are missing in the state, we do not even know the exact amount missing. We need foreign help to recover these funds. "

Modi arrived on Saturday to attend the swearing-in ceremony, during his first visit to the Maldives as prime minister. The last visit of an Indian Prime Minister in the island island of the Indian Ocean was that of Manmohan Singh in 2011. Modi was scheduled to visit the Maldives in March 2015, but political unrest in the country had forced the cancellation of the visit.

On Saturday, Modi conveyed his greetings to the people and government of the Maldives for "the consolidation of democracy, essential for peace, prosperity and stability," the joint statement said at the end of the meeting.
"The two leaders, while noting the resilience of relations between India and the Maldives, expressed confidence in renewing the close ties of cooperation and friendship with the election of Mr. Solih. to the presidency of the Maldives, "he said.

Prior to the visit, Modi said, "I will convey to Mr. Solih's new Maldivian government the desire of the Government of India to work closely together to achieve its development priorities, including in the areas of infrastructure. , health care, connectivity and human resources. development."

He said that the recent elections in the Maldives represented the people's collective aspirations for democracy, the rule of law and a prosperous future.

"In India, we are keen to see a stable, democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives," he said.
Modi congratulated Solih and wished him "the best for his mandate". "India and the Maldives share a strong partnership rooted in history, close links between our peoples and their common aspiration to peace and prosperity. My Government's vision of inclusive development "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas" also applies to all our neighbors, "he said.

Modi invited Solih to visit India as soon as possible for a state visit, which was accepted by the president. Solih, in turn, expressed the hope that Modi will soon travel to the Maldives for an official visit, which Modi has accepted.

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