Indian external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Wednesday (18) arrived in the Maldives on an official visit to witness the impact of the developmental assistance extended through the ever-reliable bilateral partnership.
Jaishankar is on a three-day visit to the Maldives and Sri Lanka beginning to further expand bilateral engagement with the two key maritime neighbours of India.
On reaching the Maldives, Jaishankar was received by Abdulla Shahid, his Maldivian counterpart.
"India EAM Visit | Welcome to the Maldives my dear friend @DrSJaishankar! And this time to the northernmost atolls, to bear witness the impact of developmental assistance extended through the ever reliable #MaldivesIndiaPartnership," Shahid tweeted along with pictures.
Jaishankar thanked Shahid for the warm welcome and said that he is delighted to arrive in the island nation. "
Delighted to arrive in Maldives for my fourth visit as External Affairs Minister. Thank FM @abdulla_shahid for the warm welcome. The synergies of India's Neighborhood First and Maldives' India First policies strengthen further,'' Jaishanakar tweeted.
He was given a traditional Maldivian welcome when he arrived at Manadhoo, the capital of Noonu Atoll in the Maldives.
In Maldives, he will sign several agreements to further bolster bilateral cooperation. He would call on Maldivian president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and hold discussions with Shahid.
The minister's visit to Male will see the signing of agreements related to the bilateral development cooperation, ground-breaking/inauguration/handing-over and launch of a number of key India-supported projects that will contribute to the socio-economic development of the Maldives, India's ministry of external affairs (MEA) had said in a statement on Tuesday (17).
The MEA statement said that both the Maldives and Sri Lanka are India's key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean Region and occupy a special place in prime minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'SAGAR' (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and 'Neighbourhood First'.
(PTI)
This photograph taken on April 28, 2026 shows a boy getting "thali", a sacred thread tied to his neck symbolising marriage to Hindu warrior god Aravan during the annual Koovagam transgender festival at the Koothandavar temple in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi district. For a few fleeting days each year, at the heart of the Koothandavar Temple where ostracised transgender community members from across India come to honour the Hindu deity Aravan, a tradition rooted in millennia-old Hindu texts -- and to enjoy a brief oasis of freedom.Getty Images
This photograph taken on April 29, 2026 shows a member of the transgender community mourning as a priest cuts the "thali", a sacred thread symbolising end of her marriage to Hindu warrior god Aravan during the annual Koovagam transgender festival at the Koothandavar temple in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi district. For a few fleeting days each year, at the heart of the Koothandavar Temple where ostracised transgender community members from across India come to honour the Hindu deity Aravan, a tradition rooted in millennia-old Hindu texts -- and to enjoy a brief oasis of freedom. Getty Images