Exchange of key agreements marks milestone in progress of bilateral partnership between Maldives and India

The governments of the Maldives and India have exchanged six important agreements.
Six important agreements were signed on Tuesday, reflecting a crucial point of progress in bilateral relations between the Maldives and India.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi presided over the ceremony which took place at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.
Key agreements exchanged included a memorandum of understanding on capacity building and training of members of local councils and women’s development committee and staff of local government authorities, signed between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives and the Ministry of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj of India.
The MoU aims to improve the technical skills and develop the skills of members of local councils, women’s development committees as well as other staff in relevant areas of local governance.
The second MoU was on cooperation in the field of cybersecurity, signed between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives and the Indian Ministry of Railways, Communications, Electronics and Information Technology.
The MoU aims to promote closer cooperation and exchange of cybersecurity-related information in accordance with relevant national laws, rules and regulations.
It is based on equality, reciprocity and mutual benefit between the two neighbors.
Third, a memorandum of understanding on collaboration in capacity building for forecasting potential fishing grounds, between the Ministry of Economic Development of the Maldives and the Indian Ministry of Earth Sciences.
A Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Disaster Management was also signed as the fourth agreement between the Ministry of Finance of the Maldives and the High Commission of India in the Maldives.
The MoU aims to enhance efforts in the area of crisis management between the Maldives and India.
In addition, an agreement has also been signed between the EXIM Bank of India and the Ministry of Finance of the Maldives for the development of police infrastructure.
The sixth agreement was a letter of intent on the approval of buyer’s credit financing of USD 119 million for the construction of 2,000 additional social housing units in Hulhumalé.
The agreement was signed between the Ministry of Finance of the Maldives and the Export-Import Bank (Exim Bank) of India.
The agreements were signed as part of President Solih’s ongoing official visit to the neighboring country.
He is accompanied by a delegation of senior government officials.