At the respective invitations of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives, H.E. Mr. Abdulla Shahid and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, Prof. G.L.Peiris, External Affairs Minister (EAM), Dr. S Jaishankar will pay an official visit to Maldives and Sri Lanka from 26-30 March 2022.
2. EAM would be visiting Addu city in Maldives (26-27 March), during which EAM will call on President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and hold discussions with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid. EAM’s visit will see the signing of several agreements related to the bilateral development cooperation, inauguration/handing-over and launch of a number of key India-supported projects that will contribute to the socio-economic development of the Maldives and enhance its security.
3. EAM’s visit to Sri Lanka (28-30 March) follows the visits to India by Minister of Finance of Sri Lanka, H.E. Mr. Basil Rajapaksa in December 2021 and earlier this month and that of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, Prof. G.L.Peiris in February 2022. The bilateral meetings and interactions which EAM will have in Sri Lanka highlight the priority that the Sri Lanka occupies for India.
4.While in Sri Lanka, EAM will also participate in the BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting on 29 March 2022 in Colombo.
5.Both Maldives and Sri Lanka are India’s key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean Region and occupy special place in Prime Minister’s vision of ‘SAGAR’ and Neighbourhood First. EAM’s visit is testimony to the importance that India attaches to its close and friendly relations with the Maldives and Sri Lanka.
New Delhi
March 26, 2022
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