New Delhi: Just days after fresh strains were reported in the Indo-Maldivian ties following growing proximity between the Maldives and China, India’s tiny maritime neighbour appears to have extended the olive branch to New Delhi in a bid to allay New Delhi’s concerns and defuse tensions.
The Special Envoy of the Maldives President Abdulla Yameen and Maldives Foreign Minister Dr. Mohamed Asim will visit India from January 10 to 12 and will meet both External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Maldives remains the only SAARC country to which PM Modi has not paid a visit.
On Maldives recently signing an FTA with China and India’s response, the MEA had earlier said, “We have seen reports about the Maldives-China Free Trade Agreement. The reports have also alluded to the manner in which the FTA was passed by the Majlis. We are yet to see the document, and hence, it will not be appropriate for me to speculate on the contents. As you are aware, India attaches the highest importance to its relations with Maldives. Our two countries have strong historical and civilisation linkages at the people-to-people level.”
