Maldives FM Abdulla Shahid asserts 'India is our most trusted partner'

Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid on Sunday said that India is the most trusted partner of the Maldives and the relationship between both nations is based on trust and confidence.

He was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the National College for Policing & Law Enforcement (NCPLE) at Addu city in the Maldives today.

"India is our most trusted partner. Ours is a relationship of mutual respect based on trust and confidence," Abdulla Shahid said today.

"Today more than ever, the collaborative effort is needed to maintain security and peace, to maintain order in Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and beyond. It is in support of this reality that cooperation between Maldives and India in international forums continues to strengthen as well," he added.

India's External Affair Minister S Jaishankar, who is on a two-day visit from March 26 to March 27, also attended the event at Addu City.

He underlined defence ties in the India-Maldives partnership and said: "Defence cooperation is another key pillar of the India-Maldives partnership and the ties between both the nations are full of promises and possibilities for their youth and future generations."

External Affairs Minister also said that India-Maldives partnership envelopes cooperation in almost every facet of the bilateral relationship.

"The focus of the engagement is the well-being of our people," he added.

Speaking about foreign policy, Jaishankar said: "Your (Maldives) policy of 'India First' and our policy of 'Neighbourhood First' are not just phrases but the very fulcrum of India-Maldives relationship."

Abdulla Shahid, who is also a President of the United Nations General Assembly, in a Tweet also thanked India for standing in solidarity with the Maldives, and for being its friend and partner throughout the years.

( With inputs from ANI )

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