New Delhi, May 25 (UNI) Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Khaleel will be on a three-day visit to India from today, during which he will participate in the 2nd India-Maldives High Level Core Group (HLCG) meeting.
This is Foreign Minister Khaleel’s third visit to India in 2025, following his visits earlier in January and March 2025, and is in continuation of intensified high level political exchanges between India and Maldives, a statement said.
On May 26, Foreign Minister Khaleel will lead Maldives at the 2nd India-Maldives High Level Core Group (HLCG) meeting to oversee progress in the implementation of the India-Maldives Vision Document on Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership, adopted by the leadership of the two countries during the State Visit of President Mohamed Muizzu to India in October 2024.
During the visit, Foreign Minister Khaleel will also hold bilateral discussions with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
Maldives is India’s key maritime neighbour and an important partner in India’s 'Neighbourhood First' policy and Vision MAHASAGAR, i.e., Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions. The visit is aimed at strengthening the Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership between the two countries, it said.
The visit comes days after India and the Maldives signed 13 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to enhance ferry services across the island nation, backed by a grant of MVR 100 million (approximately USD 6.6 million) under India's High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP) Phase III.
The MoUs were signed on May 18 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Malé. Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Khaleel and Indian High Commissioner G Balasubramanian signed the agreements. Mohamed Ameen, the Maldivian Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, signed as the representative of the implementing agency.
According to the Maldivian Foreign Ministry, the ferry enhancement projects under HICDP Phase III represent a significant investment in the country’s maritime infrastructure, which is vital for inter-island transport and access to essential services.
UNI RN