His Excellency President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has met with His Excellency Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India this morning at the President's Office. The President warmly received the Minister, who is currently in the Maldives to attend the 4th Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) at Paradise Island Resort, and discussed the bilateral relations between the two countries.
The President congratulated the Minister on his attainment of cabinet rank and thanked him for the work to strengthen bilateral relations in his previous capacity as Foreign Secretary. Further, the President expressed his condolences on the passing of the Minister's predecessor, Her Excellency Sushma Swaraj, commenting that she had been a public servant of the highest calibre and acknowledging the great loss to India by her passing.
The President and Minister discussed the many areas in which the Maldives and India cooperate bilaterally, encompassing socio-economic development, trade, security and regional governance, which have been further facilitated by the numerous agreements and MOUs signed between the Maldives and India following President Solih’s election to the Presidency. They also noted that the ongoing 4th Edition of the IOC provides a wonderful opportunity to explore new avenues for engagement.
The Minister thanked the President for his remarks and reciprocated his sentiments, stating his firm commitment to maintaining the excellent relations with the Maldives, and positively noted the reinvigoration of bilateral friendship between the two countries. He noted his satisfaction that the ongoing IOC is being attended by dignitaries from across the wide expanse of the Indian Ocean Region rather than from just South Asian countries, underscoring the region’s increasing global importance.
Ending the call, the President relayed his best wishes to the President and Prime Minister of India, His Excellency Ram Nath Kovind and His Excellency Narendra Modi, and wished good fortune to the people of India.
