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New Delhi: Despite receiving a diplomatic elbow by the Maldives, on the behest of China, India has continued to stay true to its word of being ‘all-weather’ friends with the island nation. On part of its friendship, New Delhi has vouched to fund nine development projects in the Maldives.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian government will be funding nine community development projects in the Maldives archipelago.
A few days back, the Indian Embassy in Male handed a symbolic cheque valued $5.52 million to fund community development projects in several Maldivian islands spread in the littoral waters of the Indian Ocean. In a ceremony, the cheque was presented by Indian High Commissioner Sunjay Sudhir to the Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid.
The financial assistance from New Delhi will support nine projects run in the Maldives under the Memorandum of Understanding for Indian Grant Assistance for Implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects signed between the two nations signed in March 2019.
As per official sources, the funds will ensure financial backing to projects including the construction of fish processing plants in three districts of Addu City; Hithadhoo, Maradhoo and Hulhudhoo-Meedhoo, development of tourism zones in five districts in Addu City; Hithadhoo, Maradhoo, Feydhoo, Hulhudhoo and Meedhoo, as well as and a project to develop bottled water plant in HA. Hoarafushi.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Maldivian Foreign Minister Shahid Abdulla said that the symbolic handover of the financial assistance for the projects will serve as an incentive to begin construction work as soon as possible. It was Shahid who on the 55th Independence day of the Maldives had expressed gratitude towards Chinese investments in the island nation while promising to take Male-Beijing relations ‘to new heights’.
The special ceremony also featured Parliamentary representatives for constituencies of Addu City, Hoarafushi constituency, officials from Foreign Affairs Ministry, and officials from the Indian High Commission in Male.
