India has agreed to resume the 2018 Visa Exemption Agreement with the Maldives from October 15 which was temporarily suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier, the agreement was signed in December of 2018, when Maldives President Ibu Solih visited India.

According to the 2018 visa exemption agreement, it eases travel for Maldivian nationals to visit India for business, tourism, medical and educational purposes. This agreement also grants Indian employees work permits within 15 days of their arrival and eases visa rules.

"Delighted that India has agreed to resume the 2018 Dec Visa Exemption Agreement between the Maldives and India, which was temporarily suspended due to COVID-19 border closure,” Shahid wrote on the Twitter.

“From 15 Oct 2021, Maldivian Nationals will be exempt from visa requirements for tourists, medical and business purposes," he added.

In a subsequent tweet he also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and external affairs minister S Jaishankar for considering the Maldivian government’s request to resume the agreement.

The High Commission of India in the Maldives tweeted on the same and stated, "No visa required from Oct 15 for Maldivians travelling to India for Medical, Business & Tourism purposes. Maldives will be the 1st beneficiary of visa free travel since COVID restrictions were imposed by India in Mar 2020. This move restores the bilateral visa-free agreement of Dec 2018."

This move comes as India is all set to reopen for tourists from October 15, whereas the Maldives remained open for tourists since July 2020. 

The tourism sector made up for around 10 percent of the Indian economy in pre-pandemic years. However, the domestic tourism is affected a lot due to COVID-19.

Image Courtesy: Hindustan Times