On arriving in Maldives and after receiving a warm welcome, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Mohamed Muizzu met to discuss the Free Trade Agreement, bilateral relations and overall development between India and the Maldives.
 
"India and Maldives are also marking 60 years of our diplomatic ties this year. But our relations have their roots older than history and deeper than the sea. The commemorative stamps issued today show traditional ships of both countries. This is because we are not only neighbours but co-passengers too," declared PM Modi.
 
"To accelerate our economic cooperation, we have done a number of steps. To accelerate our mutual investment, we will now work towards finalising the Bilateral Investment Treaty. Negotiations on Free Trade Agreement are also started. Now, our slogan will be 'from paperwork to prosperity'. Direct Rupee-Rufiyaa trade is possible with the local currency settlement system. The momentum with which UPI is picking up in the Maldives, tourism and retail will become stronger," he added.

PM Modi and President Muizzu issued commemorative stamps on the 60th anniversary of India-Maldives diplomatic relations.
 
"In the reflection of the centuries-old bilateral relationship between the two nations, the commemorative stamps feature the Indian boat Uru, a big wooden dhow which was hand-built in the ancient boatyards of Beypore, Kerala, and the Maldivian traditional fishing boat Vadhu Dhoni. These vessels have been engaged in the trade of the Indian Ocean for centuries. The Maldivian traditional fishing boat Vadhu Dhoni is employed for reef as well as coastal fishing. It reflects Maldives's rich maritime heritage and the close relationship between island life and the ocean," it added.

"India was among the first countries to have diplomatic relations with Maldives after it gained independence in 1965. The release of commemorative stamps is indicative of the strong and historical relationship between the two nations," it stated.
 
"This year, the 60th anniversary of India-Maldives relations are also being commemorated. This felicitous coincidence (60th Independence Day of Maldives and 60th anniversary of India-Maldives relations) has rendered my visit even more memorable," Modi stated.
 
"India-Maldives ties are as old as centuries. We are neighbours, partners and close friends who stand by each other in times of need. As I had mentioned before too, Maldives occupies a very special position in India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy. This is not diplomacy but a relationship of deep affinity," he added.
 
"The beautiful relations of love which have been established between our two nations' people for centuries long remain robust even today. Your tourist number 10 lakh this year proved to be an Indian," he added.
 
"Both our countries are partners of the Global South. Be it capacity building or infrastructure, at each turn of the Maldives' development journey, India has been a co-passenger and genuine partner. Let us now proceed on trade, security and sustainable development. India and the Maldives' relationship is founded on trust and nurtured by goodwill. Today, we have reaffirmed our commitment to its prosperous future," he added.
 
"This year we celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations between the Maldives and India, a milestone attesting not just to our shared past, but also the richness and strength of our partnership. But the relationship between our people stretches beyond diplomatic niceties. For centuries, the Indian Ocean has borne witness to our shared passage. As traders, travellers and neighbours we traded goods, tales and ideas across these seas for centuries. It is the same sea that binds us together today by bonds that no tide can sweep away," President Muizzu stated.

PM Modi and President Muizzu agreed to further cement bilateral cooperation between India and Maldives, the Ministry of External Affairs announced.
 
On Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu's invitation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook a state visit to Male and on Friday signed a number of agreements across various sectors, which reiterated the partnership between Maldives and India, the MEA stated in a release.

PM Modi and President Muizzu exchanged several memorandums of understanding in which there was an agreement for a Line of Credit of Rs 4,850 crore to Maldives, an amendatory agreement on lowering annual debt repayment commitment of Maldives on Indian government-supported LoCs, the inauguration of the India-Maldives Free Trade Agreement with Terms of Reference finalised, an MoU on cooperation in the area of Fisheries and Aquaculture, an MoU between Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology Ministry of Earth Sciences and Maldives Meteorological Services Ministry of Tourism and Environment, an MoU on cooperation in the area of sharing successful digital solutions deployed at population scale for digital transformation between Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology of India and Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology of Maldives, an MoU on recognition of Indian Pharmacopoeia by Maldives, and network-to-network agreement between India's NPCI International Payment Limited and Maldives Monetary Authority on Unified Payments Interface in Maldives, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reported in a statement.

PM Modi received Maldivian Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef. Following a meeting with Vice-President Latheef, PM Modi in a social media statement on X wrote, "Had a very good meeting with Vice President Uz. Hussain Mohamed Latheef. Our conversation touched upon the important pillars of the India-Maldives friendship. Our countries remain closely engaged in areas such as infrastructure, technology, climate change, energy and more. This is highly positive for our people. We look forward to enhancing this partnership in the coming years."