New Delhi: Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. President of the Maldives, will be visiting India for four days to shore up bilateral ties, including in areas of defence and security, which have been on an upward trajectory in the last few years.
“At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, President of the Republic of Maldives, will pay an official visit to India from August 1-4,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi announced at a media briefing on Thursday.
Solih will be accompanied by a high-level official and business delegation. Besides official engagements in New Delhi, President Solih will also visit Mumbai and participate in business events.
Bagchi said the Maldivian leader will meet President Droupadi Murmu and hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will also call on President Solih.
“President Solih’s upcoming official visit will provide an opportunity for the two leaders to review the progress made in this wide-ranging partnership and impart direction to the two sides that will lend further momentum to this partnership,” Bagchi said.
He said the Maldives is India’s key neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region and occupies a “special place” in the country’s ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’.
“In recent years, the partnership has witnessed rapid growth in all areas of cooperation,” Bagchi said.

Press Trust of India