Union Minister S Jaishankar reiterated India’s dedication to its policies of neighbourhood first and SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) in response to Maldivian Minister Moosa Zameer’s expression of gratitude for India’s decision to export essential commodities to the island nation for the fiscal years 2024-2025.
Zameer hailed India’s decision as a testament to the enduring friendship between the two countries and their shared commitment to expanding bilateral trade and commerce. In a social media post, Zameer thanked External Affairs Minister Jaishankar and the Government of India for renewing the quota to enable Maldives to import essential commodities. He emphasized the significance of this gesture in strengthening the longstanding ties between the two nations.
In reply, EAM Jaishankar expressed India’s unwavering commitment to its Neighbourhood First and SAGAR policies, underscoring the importance of prioritizing relations with neighbouring countries and fostering regional cooperation and development.
India’s Neighbourhood First policy aims to enhance connectivity and trade among countries in the South Asian region, including Maldives. The policy focuses on bolstering physical and digital infrastructure and fostering people-to-people exchanges to promote regional prosperity and stability.
The Indian High Commission in Maldives announced that India had revised the quotas for essential commodities for the year 2024-25 in response to the Maldivian government’s request. Notably, the approved quantities are the highest since the bilateral arrangement was established in 1981. Key items such as river sand and stone aggregates, crucial for the Maldives’ construction industry, witnessed a 25 per cent increase in quotas.
Moreover, India has also increased quotas for other essential items like eggs, potatoes, onions, sugar, rice, wheat flour, and dal by 5 per cent. Despite global restrictions on the export of certain commodities from India, India continued to supply rice, sugar, and onions to the Maldives last year.
India’s commitment to supporting human-centric development in the Maldives remains steadfast, in line with its Neighbourhood First policy. Despite recent tensions in bilateral relations, including criticisms from Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, both countries have reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining strong ties. Muizzu’s recent request for debt relief from India signals a positive shift in relations, with both sides expressing optimism about the future of their partnership.
