{"id":149502,"date":"2024-10-08T01:48:30","date_gmt":"2024-10-08T01:48:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/10\/08\/rupay-card-in-maldives-hanimaadhu-airport-and-more-here-are-key-decisions-from-pm-modi-muizzu-talks\/"},"modified":"2024-10-08T01:48:30","modified_gmt":"2024-10-08T01:48:30","slug":"rupay-card-in-maldives-hanimaadhu-airport-and-more-here-are-key-decisions-from-pm-modi-muizzu-talks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/10\/08\/rupay-card-in-maldives-hanimaadhu-airport-and-more-here-are-key-decisions-from-pm-modi-muizzu-talks\/","title":{"rendered":"Rupay card in Maldives, Hanimaadhu Airport and more: Here are key decisions from PM Modi-Muizzu talks"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Rupay<\/div>\n
On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi<\/a> and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu<\/a> held wide-ranging discussions on repairing and enhancing the bilateral relationship between India and the Maldives. Muizzu arrived in India for a four-day state visit, marking his first official trip since taking office in November last year. The talks come after a period of strained relations due to political differences, including Muizzu’s earlier anti-India stance, which had raised concerns about the future of cooperation between the two countries.<\/p>\n

In a post on X, the Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal said, “Taking forward India-Maldives special ties! PM Narendra Modi warmly received President Mohamed Muizzu of Maldives as the latter arrived at Hyderabad House. Extensive discussions on India-Maldives bilateral relations lie ahead.”<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me start by conveying my sincere gratitude to President Droupadi Murmu for the invitation. I also thank PM Modi, the government, and the friendly people of India for the warm welcome. PM Modi and I held extensive discussions, taking stock of our successful development journey together and charting a path for future collaboration. We agreed on a comprehensive vision document, a vision for comprehensive economic and maritime security partnership,\u201d said Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu.<\/p>\n

Also Read: <\/strong>Maldives comes back to India, after rubbing shoulders with the Dragon<\/a><\/p>\n

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India\u2019s Role as the First Responder<\/h2>\n

During the meeting, Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed India’s commitment to supporting the Maldives, highlighting the longstanding relationship between the two nations. “Relations between India and Maldives are centuries old. And India is the closest neighbour and close friend of Maldives. Maldives also has an important place in our ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and ‘SAGAR’ Vision,” said Modi.<\/p>\n

Modi also emphasized India\u2019s role as a key partner for the Maldives in times of crisis. “India has always acted as the first responder for the Maldives. Be it vaccines or essential commodities, India has always helped the Maldives,” he said. This reference points to India\u2019s swift assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic and other emergencies in the island nation.<\/p>\n

Maldives President Muizzu also stated, “We look forward to concluding a free trade pact with India,” indicating his administration\u2019s intent to boost trade and economic engagement with its neighbor. <\/p>\n

He also thanked India for ‘generous assistance extended, including rollover of Treasury Bills and signing of currency swap agreement’.<\/p>\n

Also Read: <\/strong>Modi-Muizzu Meet: What\u2019s at stake for India-Maldives relations?<\/a><\/p>\n

Infrastructure and Digital Advancements<\/h2>\n

The leaders also focused on critical infrastructure development<\/a> and digital connectivity<\/a> initiatives. One of the key moments of the visit was the virtual inauguration of the new runway at Hanimaadhoo International Airport<\/a> in the Maldives, a significant project supported by India. This development marks a crucial step in improving transportation links within the island nation and bolstering tourism.<\/p>\n

Speaking on the occasion, Modi underscored India’s commitment to assisting the Maldives in its development. “Today, we have inaugurated the redeveloped Hanimaadhoo Airport,” he said, emphasizing the importance of this project for the country’s tourism and economic sectors.<\/p>\n

In addition to the airport, Modi also announced that the Greater Male Connectivity Project, another significant infrastructure venture, would be accelerated. This project, which aims to link key islands of the Maldives through modern transport networks, is expected to enhance accessibility and foster economic growth in the region. “Now, the Greater Male Connectivity Project will also be expedited,” Modi stated, highlighting India’s role in supporting such initiatives.<\/p>\n

In addition, the leaders witnessed the first transaction using RuPay cards in the Maldives, signaling strengthened digital ties between the two countries. Modi noted the importance of enhancing digital connectivity as part of the broader collaboration: “We have focused on digital connectivity. RuPay card payments introduced in the Maldives,” he said during the discussions.<\/p>\n

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Economic Cooperation and Support<\/h2>\n

As the Maldives faces significant economic challenges, India continues to provide financial assistance. During the visit, Modi announced that India would extend its support by rolling over a USD 50 million Treasury Bill for another year, offering essential budgetary relief to the Maldivian government. This assistance is part of India\u2019s ongoing efforts to help stabilize the Maldivian economy, which has been affected by the pandemic and other financial pressures.<\/p>\n

Modi further confirmed India’s support for the development of a new commercial port in Thilafushi, a key industrial hub in the Maldives. “Support will also be provided for the development of a new commercial port in Thilafushi,” he said. This port is expected to play a vital role in boosting trade and economic activities, contributing to the overall development of the archipelago.<\/p>\n

Modi highlighted this achievement during his address, marking it as another testament to the close ties between the two nations. “Today, more than 700 social housing units built with Indian assistance have been handed over,” he stated, emphasizing India’s ongoing efforts to support the Maldives in critical areas of development.<\/p>\n

Ceremonial Welcome and Key Milestones<\/h2>\n

Muizzu\u2019s visit began with a formal reception at Rashtrapati Bhawan, where President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Modi greeted him. Muizzu was accorded a ceremonial tri-services guard of honour, reflecting the importance of his visit. Following the reception, Muizzu visited Rajghat to pay his respects at the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi, marking a significant moment of respect and acknowledgment of India’s historical figures.<\/p>\n

Muizzu\u2019s visit comes after a rocky period in India-Maldives relations. Known for his pro-China leanings, Muizzu won the presidential election last year with a platform that included the “India Out” campaign, calling for the removal of Indian military personnel from the Maldives. However, since assuming office, Muizzu has toned down his anti-India rhetoric and taken steps to improve diplomatic ties. Notably, he removed ministers who had been critical of India, signaling a shift in his approach to foreign relations.<\/p>\n

Also Read: Maldives first, but President Muizzu says ‘Won’t hurt India’s security for China’s sake’<\/a><\/p>\n

Resetting the Relationship<\/h2>\n

The bilateral relationship has been evolving since Muizzu\u2019s election, with both nations working toward stronger cooperation. Muizzu\u2019s previous stance raised questions about the direction of Maldives\u2019 foreign policy, but his actions during this visit suggest a renewed focus on collaboration with India.<\/p>\n

“Taking forward India-Maldives special ties! PM @narendramodi warmly received President @MMuizzu of Maldives as the latter arrived at Hyderabad House. Extensive discussions on India-Maldives bilateral relations lie ahead,” External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.<\/p>\n

Looking Ahead<\/h2>\n

The visit marks a significant moment in the relationship between India and the Maldives, with both leaders demonstrating a commitment to working together on critical issues. From infrastructure to economic recovery, the discussions underscore the importance of cooperation between the two nations. As the Maldives continues to face economic difficulties, India\u2019s role as a key partner remains crucial, and both nations are poised to build on the outcomes of this visit to strengthen their relationship further.
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On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu held wide-ranging discussions on repairing and enhancing the bilateral relationship between India and the Maldives. Muizzu arrived in India for a four-day state visit, marking his first official trip since taking office in November last year. The talks come after a period of strained […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":149503,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/img.etimg.com\/photo\/msid-114007231,imgsize-231090.cms","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[602],"tags":[804,118380,226,118381,15348,46988,70507,118382,118384,47866,44767,2733,4284,117915,4281,2910,24555,66,118383],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149502"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=149502"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149502\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":149504,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149502\/revisions\/149504"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/149503"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=149502"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=149502"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=149502"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}