NEW DELHI: Maldives is very much at the heart of India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and a key partner in Indian Ocean Region (IOR), foreign minister S Jaishankar said as he joined his counterpart Moosa Zameer in Addu city in inaugurating the Addu reclamation and shore protection project and Addu detour link bridge project facilitated by India.
Jaishankar’s three-day visit is said to have reaffirmed the continued commitment of both countries to strengthening their multi-dimensional bilateral relationship and deepening their close people-to-people ties.During the visit, both sides also reaffirmed their commitment to deepen the India-Maldives defence and security partnership.
In the last few years, India has invested around $220 million which provides a fair idea of the importance that it attaches to regional development in the Maldives, he said. “We are today among the largest trading partners . We’re also witnessing greater investment flows from India to the Maldives particularly in the tourism sector,” he said. India has partnered with govt of Maldives on the Addu reclamation and shore protection project to find a sustainable way to develop it as a regional hub, he said.
The reclamation of 184 hectares of land was concluded earlier this year. This ambitious $80 million programme involves land reclamation for the purpose of tourism development, as well as for the overall economic development of Addu. The project will help in the overall growth of the region, bringing in better opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and trade.
“Another important project being carried out is the redevelopment of the Addu roads and drainage development with an outlay of $70 million. This project is in the last phase and once completed, will provide a solution to problems of water logging of roads in Addu,” Jaishankar said.
“The Addu detour link road is an important component of this project and will significantly ease connectivity within the atoll,” he said.
The Maldives, under the Indian LoC, is also undertaking the redevelopment of the Gan International Airport, a connectivity project with an outlay of $29 million that will bridge the gap between Addu Atoll and the Maldives and the rest of the world.
Jaishankar’s three-day visit is said to have reaffirmed the continued commitment of both countries to strengthening their multi-dimensional bilateral relationship and deepening their close people-to-people ties.During the visit, both sides also reaffirmed their commitment to deepen the India-Maldives defence and security partnership.
In the last few years, India has invested around $220 million which provides a fair idea of the importance that it attaches to regional development in the Maldives, he said. “We are today among the largest trading partners . We’re also witnessing greater investment flows from India to the Maldives particularly in the tourism sector,” he said. India has partnered with govt of Maldives on the Addu reclamation and shore protection project to find a sustainable way to develop it as a regional hub, he said.
The reclamation of 184 hectares of land was concluded earlier this year. This ambitious $80 million programme involves land reclamation for the purpose of tourism development, as well as for the overall economic development of Addu. The project will help in the overall growth of the region, bringing in better opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and trade.
“Another important project being carried out is the redevelopment of the Addu roads and drainage development with an outlay of $70 million. This project is in the last phase and once completed, will provide a solution to problems of water logging of roads in Addu,” Jaishankar said.
“The Addu detour link road is an important component of this project and will significantly ease connectivity within the atoll,” he said.
The Maldives, under the Indian LoC, is also undertaking the redevelopment of the Gan International Airport, a connectivity project with an outlay of $29 million that will bridge the gap between Addu Atoll and the Maldives and the rest of the world.