Male [Maldives], July 29 (ANI): <keyword id="930160" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maldives-President" source="Orion">Maldives President</keyword> <keyword id="18721872" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mohamed-Muizzu" source="Orion">Mohamed Muizzu</keyword> thanked India for its support of the island nation in easing its <keyword id="20792056" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="debt-repayment" source="keywords">debt repayment</keyword> and affirmed hope that New Delhi and Male would forge stronger ties and sign a <keyword id="120586" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="free-trade-agreement" source="Orion">free trade agreement</keyword>. Muizzu was addressing the official Independence Day function in the <keyword id="19926427" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="maldives" source="keywords">Maldives</keyword> on Friday. During his address, he commended the administration's foreign policy, celebrating eight months of 'diplomatic success,' according to the <keyword id="22582197" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maldives-President-Office" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Maldives President Office" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Maldives President Office">Maldives President Office</keyword>. President Muizzu expressed gratitude to India and China for their support in easing the Maldives' debt repayment, thereby enabling the country to ensure economic sovereignty. Emphasising the need to alleviate the local shortages of US dollars, he said that the Maldives government is negotiating currency swap agreements with both New Delhi and Beijing. The Maldives President also announced that his administration is negotiating a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United Kingdom and expressed hope to reach a similar agreement with India. Notably, the Mohamed Muizzu government in the Maldives took a reconciliatory tone after ties between the two nations soured, leading to a diplomatic row. Last month, President Muizzu also attended the oath ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after he took office for the third consecutive term. Earlier this year, Muizzu sought debt relief measures in the repayment of the hefty loans taken from the country over consecutive governments. He even stated that India will continue to remain the Maldives' "closest ally" and emphasised that there was no question about it. The loan amount owed by Maldives to India by the end of last year stood at 6.2 billion Maldivian Rufiyaa, according to Maldives-based The Edition. Notably, earlier this year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned Maldives that it faces a high risk of debt distress without significant policy changes. Notably, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has displayed 'anti-India' rhetoric and he even ran the electoral campaign on the line of 'India Out'. The removal of Indian troops from the country was the main election campaign of Muizzu's party. Since coming to power, he has taken several steps that have been unconventional from the point of view of India-Maldives ties. He departed from a long convention by not visiting India on the first official visit and instead went to Turkey, followed by China. During his visit, the two countries elevated their ties to comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and signed around 20 agreements. Last December, the Maldives said it would not renew the Hydrographic Survey agreement made with India. After Muizzu government officially requested India to withdraw troops, the Indian government set up a High-Level Core Group to discuss the matter. The withdrawal of Indian troops was completed in May this year. Days after the withdrawal of Indian soldiers, Maldives Defence Minister Ghassan Maumoon also acknowledged that the country's defence forces were capable of operating the three aircraft donated by India, The row between New Delhi and Male erupted after three Maldivian deputy ministers made derogatory comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, over his pictures from the visit to Lakshadweep. PM Modi had called for the Indian island cluster to be developed as a destination for beach tourism and promotion of domestic tourism. The matter snowballed into a major diplomatic row, with New Delhi summoning the Maldivian envoy and registering a strong protest against the viral posts. The three deputy ministers were suspended and they remain under suspension with pay. Maldives Tourism Ministry data showed, earlier this year, that the number of Indian tourists visiting the Maldives dropped by 33 per cent as compared to last year.

Maldives President Muizzu thanks India for economic support, affirms hope of signing FTA

<keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword> and Maldives have signed an agreement to introduce the <keyword id="19998949" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Unified-Payments-Interface" source="keywords">Unified Payments Interface</keyword> in the archipelago nation, which will have a "very positive" impact on its <keyword id="20260982" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tourism-sector" source="keywords">tourism sector</keyword>, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on Friday during Jaishankar's three-day official visit to the Maldives. "Witnessed signing of MoU between (the) National Payments Corporation of India and (the) Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Maldives on (the) introduction of (a) digital payment system in the Maldives," he said in a post on X. Developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (<keyword id="19998946" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NPCI" source="keywords">NPCI</keyword>), Unified Payment Interface (UPI) is an instant real-time payment system to facilitate inter-bank transactions through mobile phones. Addressing a press conference with his Maldivian counterpart Moosa Zameer after their "productive discussions", Jaishankar said that India, through its UPI, has "revolutionised digital transactions". Stressing that it has taken financial inclusion in India to new levels, he said "Today 40 per cent of the world's real-time digital payments take place in our country." "We see this revolution, every day in our lives. I am pleased to note that with the signing of the MoU today, we have taken the first step towards bringing this digital innovation to Maldives," he said. "I wish the very best to stakeholders on both sides and hope that we will soon see the first UPI transaction here. I should mention that it will have a very positive impact on tourism," he added. Tourism is the main source of economic activity for the Maldives, contributing nearly 30 per cent of the GDP and generating more than 60 per cent of foreign exchange. Jaishankar's visit aims to reset the bilateral relationship with the Maldives and is the first high-level trip from India after the archipelago nation's pro-China president, Mohamed Muizzu, assumed office last year. "India's partnership with the Maldives is based on our deep desire to work together for each other's welfare and interests. It is a partnership that has enabled us to always swiftly and effectively respond to challenges, as witnessed in the past," Jaishankar said. "It is a partnership that has enabled us to deliver results and bring tangible benefits to our people in accordance with their wishes, aspirations and priorities," he said. In a post on X, Jaishankar also said, "Jointly inaugurated six High Impact Projects in areas of street lighting, mental health, children speech therapy and special education." "Welcome renewal of MoU between National Centre for Good Governance and Civil Services Commission on (the) training of additional 1,000 civil services officers," he added. Addressing the joint press conference, Maldivian Foreign Minister Zameer said, "India has always been one of our closest friends and a vital development partner." He said the "enduring friendship" was built on a foundation of mutual trust and respect and has continued to flourish over the years. "High-level exchanges between our countries have deepened our dialogue and cooperation in areas of shared interest. We remain dedicated to strengthening and advancing this mutually beneficial partnership," he said. "Minister Dr Jaishankar and I agreed that much more needs to be done to promote trade and investment between the Maldives and India," he said, adding that both sides are committed to establishing "effective mechanisms to enhance economic cooperation, fostering a vibrant and prosperous partnership that will benefit both the nations." Zameer said he conveyed President Muizzu's proposal to begin negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement between the Maldives and India. "This agreement alongside other economic and trade-related agreements will facilitate trade liberalisation and ease the risks of doing business in both our countries," he said. Zameer said that India and Maldives have also mutually agreed to further strengthen their partnership by continuing joint exercises and expanding training opportunities for officers from both countries, asserting that this reflects "our commitment to working together to ensure the security of our nations as well as ensuring the safety and stability of the Indian Ocean region." India's relations with the Maldives suffered a major setback last year when President Muizzu demanded the withdrawal of Indian military personnel manning three aviation platforms in the Maldives. Subsequently, the Indian military personnel were replaced by civilians by May 10, the mutually agreed date. "On regional and multilateral issues of importance, our countries have a common understanding and are united in our efforts to resolve them. We agreed to continue our cooperation on issues ranging from combating terrorism, violent extremism, drugs, human trafficking and to the promotion and protection of human rights," Zameer said. In his press statement, Jaishankar said that India and the Maldives "are not just close neighbours, we are also natural partners." "Today, we are mutually invested in each other's development and progress. In a globalised and interconnected world, we see a lot of volatility and global tensions. Even as the world is recovering from the impact of the COVID pandemic, we have been confronted with new challenges arising from international conflicts," he said. In this tumultuous environment, India has been and will be, an anchor of stability for its friends, partners and neighbours. To the Maldives specifically, India has provided support to deal with economic challenges through financial assistance and budgetary support, and by ensuring an uninterrupted supply of critical items, he noted. India's actions have been and will continue to be guided by its firm commitment to the philosophy of 'Sabka Saath, Sabke Vikas - which is- Together, we prosper', Jaishankar said. 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India to introduce UPI payment service in Maldives

Male, <keyword id="6354908" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="maldives" source="Orion">Maldives</keyword> President Mohamed Muizzu has asked India to withdraw its military personnel from the Indian Ocean archipelago nation by mid-March, officials said on Sunday afternoon. President Muizzu has formally asked India to withdraw its military personal, estimated to amount to 88, by March 15, President's Office's Secretary, Public Policy, Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim told the press in a briefing in the afternoon, the Sun (Maldives) reported. A high-level core group, set by both nations, to negotiate the withdrawal of troops held its first meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Male on Sunday morning with Indian High Commissioner Munu Mahawar present, he said, adding that the agenda for the meeting was the request to withdraw troops by mid-March. "Indian military personnel cannot stay in the Maldives. This is the policy of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu and that of this administration," he said. President Muizzu had, during his presidential campaign, asserted that he would accomplish the removal of Indian troops from the Maldives, and had made a formal request to India to withdraw its military personnel soon after assuming office. Amid the row over three junior ministers' allegedly derogatory remarks against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his Lakshwadeep visit, the Maldives President, talking to press on Saturday after his return from a five-day state visit to China, without naming India, made a further jab at it. "We may be small, but that doesn't give you the license to bully us." He also announced plans to reduce the country's dependency on India, including securing imports of essential food commodities and medicine and consumables from other countries. "We aren't in anyone's backyard. We are an independent and sovereign state," he told reporters at the Velana International Airport. He said that no country has the right to exert influence over the domestic affairs of a country, regardless of its size and vowed that he will not allow any external influence on the domestic affairs of the Maldives. --IANS vd

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Maldives President Muizzu thanks India for economic support, affirms hope of signing FTA

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India to introduce UPI payment service in Maldives

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Withdraw troops by mid-March, Maldives tells India

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