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UPDATE

Apart from a pact on cyber under the India-Israel Industrial R&D Asim, who visited India also as
security, the two sides signed and Technological Innovation Fund President Abdulla Yameen’s special
agreements which included (I4F). envoy, reiterated Male’s ‘India First’
cooperation in the oil and gas sector, The two sides also agreed to policy and, according to a statement
film-co- production as well as holding Festivals of India and Israel issued by India, emphasised that
amendments to an air transport in their respective countries in the Maldives attached the highest priority
pact. Year 2019 as a further step to “solidify to its ties with India. Discussions in
They also announced joint friendship between the peoples of both Asim’s meetings with Modi and
research and development projects countries”, the statement said. Swaraj centred around strengthening
of the development partnership
INDIA-MALDIVES between India and Maldives and
enhancing defence and security
Maldives allays concerns on China, cooperation. Asim also invited Modi
says ‘India First’ to Maldives, the only Saarc country
which the PM has not visited until
now. Modi agreed to visit Maldives
Foreign minister of Maldives suffered a setback when the Island
“at a suitable time’’ as he affirmed that
Mohamed Asim arrived in India on a nation signed a free trade pact with
India would always remain a reliable
three-day visit on January 10, 2018. China late last year. After the signing
and close neighbour of Male. Asim is
Asim met Prime Minister Narendra of the free trade agreement, the
also said to have discussed with his
Modi and his Indian counterpart Indian Ministry of External Affairs
Indian counterpart Maldives’ recent
Sushma Swaraj. had said that the Maldives should
FTA with China. Male continues to
The Maldives foreign minister’s be sensitive to India’s concerns
maintain that it would soon like to
visit to India is of immense and keep in mind the “India First”
have a similar agreement with India.
significance for bilateral ties that policy.

March 2018 Competition Wizard 45