New Delhi: In order to further deepening the bilateral relations between the two countries, Foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla will pay an official visit to Maldives on November 9-10.
The visit will be the first high level in-person interaction between the two sides since the disruption caused by Covid-19 pandemic, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said during the virtual weekly press briefing here on Friday.
Mr Shringla is scheduled to call-on President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and have substantive discussions with the Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Defence, Finance, Economic Development, Planning, Home Affairs, Tourism and Youth & Sports.
He will also call-on Speaker Mohamed Nasheed and meet with other political leaders, he said.
Maldives occupies a special place in India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy. This time-tested and enduring relationship with the Maldives strengthened and deepened even further in recent months, Mr Srivastava said.
India has also responded to the Maldives in extending assistance in dealing with the Covid crisis.
‘‘Foreign Secretary will review the entire gamut of our bilateral ties, the progress of ongoing bilateral projects, and hold discussions on the ongoing Covid situation, including India’s continued assistance to the Maldives for its post-Covid economic recovery,’’ he added.
Foreign Secretary’s visit is testimony to the importance that India attaches to its relations with the Maldives and is expected to lend further momentum to cooperation between the two countries, he said.
