The Minister of State for External Affairs of the Republic of India, H.E. V. Muraleedharan, paid a courtesy call on H.E. President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Sunday. The meeting was held in Gan, Addu City, as part of the President's ongoing visit to the city.
At the meeting, President Solih extended condolences to the government of India and the affected families following the tragic train accident in Odisha State. He reaffirmed the Maldives' solidarity with India during this challenging period and conveyed wishes for a successful recovery operation. H.E. Muraleedharan expressed gratitude to President Solih for his message of condolence and unwavering support. He also requested H.E. Muraleedharan to convey his warm regards to H.E. Droupadi Murmu, the President of India, and H.E. Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India.
Speaking with H.E. Muraleedharan, President Solih conveyed his satisfaction with the commencement of a number of significant projects during his visit to the Maldives. He particularly highlighted the Gan International Airport (GIA) expansion project and the land reclamation project in Addu City, which have been made possible with the support and cooperation of the Indian government.
The President stated that the GIA expansion project holds immense potential to reshape the country's economic landscape, facilitating the establishment of a robust economic hub in the Southern region. He noted that the agreements under the High Impact Community Development Project scheme signed between the Maldives and India during H.E. Muraleedharan's visit, will foster greater collaboration and strengthen the ties between the two countries.
President Solih expressed sincere appreciation to the government of India for its continued support in diverse domains such as infrastructure development, community empowerment, capacity building, healthcare sector advancement, sports cooperation, and tourism.
The meeting concluded with President Solih and H.E. Muraleedharan reiterating their shared determination to bolster bilateral relations through increased cooperation and people to people contact between Maldives and India.
