New Delhi: In the wake of coronavirus pandemic across the globe, India on Monday assured Maldives of continued support for minimising the health and economic impact arising due to COVID-19.
In a telephone conversation with Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged the “special challenges" that the pandemic poses for a tourism-dependent economy like the Maldives, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
Mr Modi “assured the Maldivian President of continued Indian support for minimising the health and economic impact of covid-19,” it said adding that both leaders “agreed that their officials would remain in touch on issues arising out of the present health crisis, as well as other aspects of bilateral cooperation.”
The leaders updated each other about the current state of COVID-19 infections in their countries.
They expressed satisfaction that the coordination modalities agreed between SAARC countries were being implemented actively.
Prime Minister was happy to hear that the Indian medical team deployed earlier to Maldives, and the essential medicines gifted by India, had contributed towards controlling the spread of the infection in the islands.
The two leaders agreed that their officials would remain in touch on issues arising out of the present health crisis, as well as other aspects of bilateral cooperation, it added.
The reference was to India’s dispatch of an army medical team to the Maldives last month after the atoll nation best known for its white sands and palm-fringed atolls, reported its first case at the beginning of March when two employees of an island resort tested positive.
On Friday, the Maldivian Health Protection Agency issued strict stay-at-home orders for Male, home to 40 per cent of the country’s population of 450,000, fearing a big outbreak in the congested city.
