Express News Service
NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar, is visiting India’s maritime neighbours – the Maldives and Sri Lanka – within the subsequent two days.
He has left for the Maldives immediately and will likely be in Addu metropolis until tomorrow. Dr Jaishankar will name on Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and maintain discussions with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid.
“EAMs go to will see the signing of a number of agreements associated to the bilateral growth cooperation, inauguration/handing over and launch of numerous key tasks (supported by India) that might contribute to the socio-economic growth of the Maldives and improve its safety,” in keeping with Ministry of External Affairs.
On Monday, Dr Jaishankar will likely be in Sri Lanka the place he may have interactions together with his counterpart Prof G L Peiris. The focus will likely be on India’s neighbourhood first coverage.
Jaishankar may also attend the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) in Colombo.
Both Maldives and Sri Lanka are India’s key maritime neighbours within the Indian Ocean Region and occupy a particular place within the Prime Minister’s imaginative and prescient of ‘SAGAR’ and Neighbourhood First.