India and the Maldives, key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), are now looking at the business-end of their galloping relationship–at concrete projects that would utilise the credit that New Delhi has provided Male.

Ahead of the visit by Abdulla Shahid, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives, who will be arriving in the Indian capital tonight on a three-day working visit, a spokesperson of the Maldives Foreign Ministry said: "The purpose of the visit is to review progress on bilateral cooperation, and discuss the implementation of key developmental projects under the Indian Lines of Credit extended to the Maldives."

Despite their historic people-to-people ties, both countries are contending Chinese inroads in the archipelago nation, as the Indian Ocean becomes a hotbed of geopolitical contestation involving major powers.

Shahid will meet the External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar tomorrow for discussions on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest and also participate in the ongoing Raisina Dialogue.

India's developmental assistance to Maldives

Shahid's talks are expected to take off from India's decision to provide credit US$800 million to Maldives in March 2019 for achieving sustainable social and economic development. V. Muraleedharan, the Minister of State for External Affairs, had informed Parliament last month that a substantial part of India's grant assistance to neighbouring countries is for connectivity and infrastructure development projects which promote cross-border connectivity.

India is committed to support nine large infrastructure and socio-economic projects in the Maldives through the LoC – water and sewerage facilities for 34 islands; road and reclamation in the southernmost atoll of Addu; cricket stadium in Hulhumale; cancer hospital; upgrade of public sector fish processing industry; construction of a new port in Gulhifalhu to decongest existing Male Port; construction of a network of bridges and causeways under the Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP); expansion of the Hanimaadhoo Airport, and; the expansion of Gan Airport in Addu.

In addition, India is supporting more than 30 community-level projects under grant schemes including the High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs); construction of Institute of Security and Law Enforcement Studies (ISLES) and a financial package of US$ 1.4 billion has also been extended in December 2019 which includes budgetary support, investment in treasury bills, currency swap and Lines of Credit.

Under the Neighbourhood First policy, development cooperation is an important component of India's engagement with countries in the region. Development assistance in the form of concessional Lines of Credit is extended by the Government of India under the Indian Development and Economic Assistance Scheme (IDEAS) through the Exim Bank of India. 45 Lines of Credit worth US$ 14.53 billion covering 263 projects have been extended to seven countries in India's neighbourhood namely Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Maldives, Mauritius and Seychelles.

Thursday's talks will follow last week's meeting of India-Maldives Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism, when both countries had announced working together to counter terrorism, tackle de-radicalisation and violent extremism in the region.

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Besides discussing bilateral and multilateral issues of mutual interest, Jaishankar and Shahid will build on the active engagement of the two South Asian nations on maintaining peace and security in the IOR, the heart of East-West trade. India, already deeply involved in enhancing the military heft of the Maldivian defence forces, had recently appreciated the 'clear-eyed stance' taken by the government led by Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to take terrorism head on.

Maldives occupies a central and special place in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of ‘SAGAR’ – Security and Growth for All in the Region. The 'India First' foreign policy of President Solih has been reciprocated in full measure by PM Modi's 'Neighbourhood First' policy in which Maldives enjoys a prime position.

India helps Maldives fight Covid-19 pandemic

India continues to assist the Maldives massively in its efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. Reacting swiftly to the Covid-19 pandemic, India had supplied essential medicines, medical supplies and food items to several neighbouring countries, including the Maldives, last year.

On January 20, Maldives became the first country to receive, as a gift, 100000 doses of India-manufactured vaccines within 96 hours of their country-wide rollout in India. During the visit of EAM

Jaishankar in February, an additional consignment of 100000 doses of made-in-India vaccines was given to the government and the people of Maldives. The country had also earlier received 12,000 doses of Covishield vaccine through the COVAX facility.

The cooperation and solidarity displayed in the face of the Covid challenge marks yet another milestone in the landmark partnership between both the countries.