Malé — G. Balasubramanian, High Commissioner of India to the Maldives, paid a courtesy call on Abdul Raheem Abdulla, Speaker of the People’s Majlis, to brief him on the upcoming visit to India for the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC).
During the meeting, the High Commissioner shared details of the conference and discussed areas of parliamentary cooperation within the Commonwealth framework. The engagement highlighted the importance of sustained dialogue between the legislative institutions of the two countries and their shared commitment to democratic governance.
Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla welcomed the briefing and reiterated the value of continued collaboration with India, particularly in strengthening institutional capacity and enhancing parliamentary exchanges.
India and the Maldives share longstanding and close bilateral relations rooted in geographic proximity, historical ties, and mutual strategic interests. India was among the first countries to recognize the Maldives after its independence and has remained a key development partner, supporting the country’s social and economic development over the decades.
India’s assistance to the Maldives spans several key sectors, including infrastructure development, healthcare, education, capacity building, climate resilience, and maritime security. Indian support has contributed to the implementation of major infrastructure projects, improvement of health services, provision of scholarships and training opportunities, and strengthening of disaster preparedness and response capabilities.
Financial assistance from India has been extended through a mix of grants, concessional lines of credit, and budgetary support. This includes financing for infrastructure and connectivity projects, community-based development initiatives, emergency assistance during times of crisis, and fiscal support to help maintain economic stability.
The courtesy call reflects the continued engagement between the two countries at the parliamentary level and underscores the broader partnership between India and the Maldives, which continues to be strengthened through regular high-level exchanges and cooperation in regional and multilateral forums.
