Vice President Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Ghafoor has said that alliance, trust and mutual understanding were a few words that have been used to describe the close ties of friendship between the Maldives and India. The Vice President made this remark while speaking at the India-Maldives Cultural Confluence function held on Sunday evening.
Speaking at the function organized by the Indian High Commission, the Vice President noted that India was among the first nations to recognise the Maldives after its independence in 1965, and to establish diplomatic relations with Maldives. He underscored that the 1st of November this year would mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the Maldives and India.
Reflecting on the high points in Maldives-India relations over the past five decades, the Vice President said that a key feature of our friendship has been the eagerness with which both the countries have supported each other at all times. He noted that while India has proven itself to be a loyal ally to the Maldives in times of both triumph and tragedy, the Maldives has always supported India, and demonstrated our solidarity in every way possible.
“The Maldives commends India’s pre-eminence in global politics, and will continue to support India on issues of regional and international interest”, reiterated the Vice President.
Further, the Vice President stated the importance to promote bilateral trade and investment, develop sustainable infrastructure, and work more closely on economic cooperation on key areas of growth, in order to realize the developmental aspirations of the two countries and their peoples. “Only then, will we be able to ensure prospects of accelerated development and greater opportunities for our future generations.”
