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New Delhi/Male: Taking forward its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, India on Wednesday handed over a patrol vessel to the Maldives and launched the RuPay card, during a video conference between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
Four bilateral grant projects as part of the development partnership between India and the Maldives were highlighted at the digital video conference.
India gifted a ‘Made in India’ patrol vessel named “KAAMIYAAB” to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). The vessel will be manned by eight MNDF personnel trained in India and will be a valuable asset for the Maldives in enhancing its maritime security, fostering its blue economy and safeguarding its tourism industry.
The two sides exchanged MoUs for three grant projects for setting up neighbourhood fish plants in the southernmost atoll of Addu.
Mindful of the geographic spread of the Maldives and the development needs of its people, these High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) will be implemented by the Addu City Council in the Maldives. These projects are being implemented under the MoU signed during then EAM Sushma Swaraj’s visit to the Maldives in 2019 and will help support the livelihoods of the island communities in Addu, a statement said.
Both sides exchanged an MoU between the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the Bank of Maldives (BML) to launch the RuPay Card in the Maldives.
In 2019, tourist arrivals from India to the Maldives have doubled and India has risen from 5th to the 2nd position in its tourism market. The launch of the Global RuPay Card in the Maldives through the Bank of Maldives will pave the way for higher tourist arrivals from India and, eventually, stronger people-to-people contacts between the two countries, it said. (IANS)