Indo-Maldives ties strong after president visit

COLOMBO - Maldives president Abdulla Yameen has affirmed strong ties with India during his visit last week, which resulted in a string of agreements between the two countries, according to local media.

Yameen returned to the Maldives after an official trip to India, where the two countries made multiple mutual agreements of cooperation for the development of various sectors.

Speaking to media upon his return, both Vice-President Mohamed Jameel Ahmed and Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) leader and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom have claimed that ties with India have become "as strong as they were during Gayoom's time in power".

It was claimed that rifts between the countries had risen as a result of the failure of former presidents Mohammad Nasheed and Mohammad Waheed administrations to raise inter-country discussion as a key strategy, reported local media outlet Minivan News.

Upon returning from his trip, President Yameen briefed the media on the various deliberations that had taken place between the Maldivian government's high-level delegation and their counterparts in India during the trip from January 1-4.

He stated that the delegation was able to find solutions for "a large part of the major difficulties" the country is facing at the moment, predicting ease in the obtainment of visa and the availability of basic food staples, fuel and construction material.

He added that long deliberations had also been held regarding regional maritime security.

Yameen revealed that talks had been held with representatives from the State Bank of India (SBI) regarding the granting of an increase in the amount of loans released by the bank's branch in the Maldives -- titled "portfolio landing". The president stated that this would benefit customers of SBI and businesses investing in the country.

"Indian leaders pledged to provide approximately 1 billion dollars needed for development of the Maldives to SBI, and that this will facilitate businesses in the country in the near future," member of the visiting delegation and government coalition partner Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) leader Ahmed Shiyam stated.

Shiyam went on to describe the trip as "the most successful trip a Maldivian leader has ever made to India".

President Yameen stated on Saturday that GMR -- the Indian infrastructure giant whose contract for development of a Male airport was scrapped by the former administration -- would not be given back the project as compensation for canceling the agreement, but rather would be given monetary compensation.

He stated the government is currently considering ways of solving this matter at a time when "the state budget itself is so tight", claiming that he had suggested a resolution other than the renewal of the contract.

"My hope is that the GMR matter can be solved with the government having to pay a fine that is affordable," he stated, adding that while the company has informed local media that the compensation fee is $1.2 billion dollars, the amount was quoted as $700 million dollars to $800 million dollars by former Attorney General Azima Shakoor.

He pointed out that the government's approach is to find a solution agreeable to both parties prior to the completion of the arbitration case, which they believe will increase the Indian government's trust in the Maldivian government.

Additionally, India pledged to provide funds for the establishment of a police academy and a composite training facility for the Maldives security forces. Agreements were also made by which India will provide funds to repair and develop the Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in the capital city of Male.

Further plans were made to facilitate better connections between Cochin, in India, and Male via sea and air travel. The leaders also signed two agreements regarding the health sector, and an agreement regarding the provision of land from India to construct a Maldivian embassy.

Yameen is expected to visit Sri Lanka later this month on an invitation by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.