On Thursday, India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar told his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid that New Delhi will support the Male connectivity project with a grant of $100 million and a new line of credit of $400 million, the Indian foreign ministry said. Jaishankar said the plan linking Male to the islands of Villingili, Gulhifahu and Thilafushi will be the largest civilian infrastructure project in the Maldives, the foreign ministry said. "EAM (external affairs minister) and Foreign Minister Shahid emphasized that greater connectivity results in prosperity," it said. India has sought to regain diplomatic influence in the islands after a new administration led by President Ibrahim Solih took power following the defeat of the pro-China strongman Abdulla Yameen in elections in 2018. "Since November 2018, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, India and Maldives have embarked on a dynamic and ambitious phase of the partnership that builds on our enduring ties based on mutual trust and shared interests," the foreign ministry said.

Source: bd News24 August 13, 2020 14:37 UTC