India and Maldives sign four MoUs during Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardha Shringla's visit

India and Maldives signed four Memoranda of Understanding on Monday, November 9. It also included one MoU on the Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP) with the Maldivian Foreign Affairs Minister Abdulla Shahid. According to reports, the MoU stated that India is an "undisputed first responder, the best of friends, an invaluable partner" of Maldives.

Maldivian Foreign Affairs Minister Abdulla Shahid said that the relationship between the two countries is built on common values and traditions. He added, "Ours is a relationship of people - built on shared values, shared culture and traditions... India is the undisputed first responder, the best of friends, an invaluable partner." 

The MoUs were signed during a ceremony attended by Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardha Shringla and Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid. 

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Strengthening India and Maldives relation

According to a statement by Maldives foreign ministry, two agreements to be implemented under the High Impact Community Development scheme were also signed by the two countries. As per the agreements, the Indian government will provide financial support of about $111,161 (1,711,434.60 Maldivian rufiyaa) for the project to establish an Agricultural Research Centre and about $518,353 (7,980,536.69 Maldivian rufiyaa) will also be granted for the development of the Drug Detoxification Centre. 

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As per the statement, the $100 million grant for the Greater Male Connectivity Project perfectly describes the understanding between the two governments on the implementation and financing of the project. It would be the largest ever infrastructure project to be implemented.

The project was an election promise by the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party(MDP) for which the current president of Maldives had personally sought India's assistance during a meeting with S Jaishankar in September 2019. It involves the construction of a series of bridges and causeways that will be connecting Male to Vilingili, the industrial zone in Thilafushi.

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(Image Credits: Twitter/@HCIMaldives)