MDP meets Jaishankar, welcomes govt's India ‘recalibration’
The statement called on the government to apologise for “actions, lies and irresponsible comments from its officials".
By
Mohamed Muzayyin Nazim
The main opposition party, Maldives Democratic Party (MDP), after welcoming External Affairs Minister Dr S.Jaishankar, who is currently visiting Maldives on an official trip, also welcomed the current government's efforts to improve the strained relations between the two countries.
Former MDP President Mohamed Nasheed criticised MDP on Saturday for ridiculing the government’s efforts to improve relations between the two countries instead of encouraging it.
After the meeting with Jaishankar on Saturday, the party issued a press release. The statement was also included in a post by MDP President and former Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid on 'X' after the meeting.
Shahid wrote that MDP ‘welcomes the sudden recalibration’ of President Muizzu's government's policy towards India from 'India Out' to 'Welcome India'.
“The MDP hopes that this shift will not be temporary or superficial, but consistent and meaningful in the best interests of the people of the Maldives,” the MDP said, noting prior to the encouragement how this government had sought to incite hatred against India in various ways.
What the statement referred to as the 'Welcome India' policy, is the recent roadshow held by the Ministry of Tourism in three Indian cities to promote Maldivian tourism.
The MDP was represented by its president and former foreign minister for the past five years, Abdulla Shahid. Besides Shahid, party vice-president and former JSC president Hisaan Hussain and MDP parliamentary group leader Ibrahim Nazim were also present.
Shahid thanked Jaishankar for his visit to Maldives and India's continuous assistance, the MDP said in its statement. As such, the MDP also:
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Welcomed the renewal of the agreement with India to train 1,000 civil servants; the agreement is an important step taken by the MDP government to develop Maldives' human resources
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In addition, the signing of the MoU between the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) was welcomed; the agreement to strengthen digital payments systems was negotiated with the Indian government by the former MDP government
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The completion of six projects under the scheme of High Impact Community Development Projects with Indian grants was celebrated and handed over to the Government of Maldives, which was also acknowledged; high impact community development projects are being implemented under an agreement signed with India in 2019 by the MDP government
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The party also welcomed the completion of water and sewerage projects in 28 islands. The projects were implemented under USD 800 million line of credit granted by the Indian government during Solih’s first visit to India in December 2018
"The MDP also welcomes the visit of Indian External Affairs Minister Dr Jaishankar to Addu. It is heartening to note that during the visit, a four-lane detour link road around Hankede to connect Hithadhoo and Maradhoo will also be inaugurated, in order to mark the completion of land reclamation and coastal protection projects in Addu", the statement read.
The statement also mentioned other projects carried out with Indian assistance during the previous MDP government.
Noting how India has always been the first responder whenever Maldives “dials an international 911”, the MDP said that Maldives describing India as “a regional bully has caused a decline in the Maldives international standing, economic loss, and many other unnecessary difficulties, and challenges”.
The statement called on the government to apologise for “actions, lies and irresponsible comments from its officials which have resulted in significant damage to the Maldives”.
