India extends special gesture to Maldivian President Solih

New Delhi [India], August 2 : Departing from official protocol, India accorded a special welcome to Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
Special gestures were extended to Solih during his official visit to India - he was received by a Union minister, there were cultural programmes in his honour and he met President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan today. These are generally components of a state visit and not an official visit, said the sources.
He is the first head of the state to meet the new President of India.
Welcoming President Solih at Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Murmu said she was happy to receive a close friend of India and an eminent leader under whose leadership the Maldives has emerged as a stable and prosperous nation, read a Ministry of External Affairs press release.
The Maldives is a major partner and close friend of India in the Indian Ocean Region. The peoples of the two countries have enjoyed strong cultural, economic and trade ties for centuries. The Maldives has a special place in India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy.
President Murmu was happy to note that India's need-based financial and development assistance is supporting the Maldives government's development priorities.
The Indian President said that the rapid expansion of India-Maldives development cooperation, defence and security initiatives, economic ties and people-to-people contact augurs well for India's relationship with the government and people of Maldives.
She appreciated the courage and perseverance of the government and people of Maldives during the COVID-19 outbreak. She was happy to note that the strong India-Maldives cooperation during the pandemic has been lauded as a model for the entire region, added the release.
The President noted that capacity building has emerged as a major pillar in the India-Maldives partnership. She expressed confidence that MoUs signed during this visit will further strengthen capacity-building initiatives in the Maldives.
Solih on Tuesday said that his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi went "very well" which resulted in several agreements and MoUs in the field of infrastructure and development.
"It went very well," said Solih in response to a question posed by ANI.
PM Modi today underlined that the Maldives occupies a special place in the hearts of Indians and also in the country's "Neighbourhood First" policy as he reaffirmed strong ties with the island nation in a range of fields.
During the visit, Solih had restricted and delegation-level talks with PM Modi during which the two leaders expressed satisfaction at the rapid expansion of the bilateral partnership in recent years. The two leaders reiterated their commitment to further strengthen and deepen the ties.
"The India-Maldives bilateral partnership is underpinned by geographical proximity, historical, cultural ties and shared values. Prime Minister Modi underlined that the Maldives occupies a special place in the hearts of Indians and in India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy. President Solih reaffirmed his government's 'India-First Policy," the MEA said in a statement.
President Solih thanked Prime Minister Modi and for standing by the Maldives during the Covid-19 pandemic. The medical and financial assistance from India helped the Maldives overcome the health and economic fallout of the pandemic.
Both leaders agreed to further deepen institutional linkages for cooperation in the areas of defence and security, investment promotion, human resource development, infrastructure development including climate and energy.
They welcomed the growth in people-to-people ties through the implementation of visa-free travel, better air connectivity, exchange programmes, and growing cultural and economic linkages. India has emerged as the top source of visitors for the Maldivian tourism market, contributing to its economic resilience.
The leaders acknowledged the role of the bilateral air travel bubble, created during the pandemic, in the expansion of tourism ties. The two leaders welcomed the ongoing work to operationalize the usage of Rupay cards in the Maldives and agreed to consider further measures to boost bilateral travel and tourism and economic inter-linkages.
Both leaders also acknowledged the valuable contribution of Indian teachers, nurses, medical workers, doctors, workers, and professionals in the Maldives. They welcomed the recent launch of the National Knowledge Network in the Maldives and directed the officials to work towards expanding its reach.
The two leaders welcomed the engagement among business leaders from both countries during the visit, noting that fisheries, infrastructure, renewable energy, tourism, health, and IT among others were key sectors for greater economic linkages between the two countries through cross-border investments and partnerships.
Both leaders acknowledged India's potential as a frontier market for Maldivian tuna products under the SAFTA.
According to the MEA statement, the India-Maldives development partnership has witnessed rapid growth in recent years and covers large infrastructure projects, community-level grant projects and capacity-building programmes which are based purely on the requirements of the Maldives, implemented through transparent processes and in a spirit of cooperation between the two governments.