President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has expressed the agreements and memorandum of understandings signed during his state visit to India will benefit Maldivians. The only benefit India will be granted from the documents will be a leniency when granting visa, President Solih said while addressing the media at the President’s Office.
During his recent state visit to India, on invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, four key documents were signed between the two countries. In this regard, an Agreement on the Facilitation of Visa Arrangements, a Memorandum of Understanding on Cultural Cooperation, a Memorandum of Understanding for establishing Mutual Cooperation to Improve the Ecosystem for Agribusiness and a Joint Declaration of Intent on Cooperation in the field of Information, and Communications Technology and Electronics were signed between the two countries.
In his first press conference since assuming office on November 17, President Solih assured the documents would not danger the security or the sovereignty of Maldives. Noting the details of the credit facility provided by the government of India, the president said it would not become a reason to further put the country in debt. He highlighted the poor financial situation Maldives was in when he assumed office and expressed the credit facility would be a mean to advance the finances of the country.
During the maiden state visit of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, India announced it would provide a credit facility of USD 1.4 billion for Maldives.