Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today received Mr Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, former President of Maldives and the Leader of the Progressive Party of Maldives, who is visiting India to attend the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit 2015. The Prime Minister conveyed that India attached high importance to its relations with Maldives. He emphasised that the two countries not only shared history, but also shared destinies; and had commonalities of interest in ensuring peace and security in the region. He reiterated India's willingness to continue to assist the Government and people of Maldives in their endeavours of building a stable, peaceful and prosperous country. Mr Gayoom thanked the Prime Minister for India's consistent support to Maldives in its all-round development. He conveyed that, for Maldives, its relations with India were of utmost priority not only in the region, but also in the world. Both exchanged views on the challenges facing developing countries, especially small island States, from climate change. The Prime Minister said that he looked forward to an early visit to Maldives that would provide an opportunity to further enhance the close and multifaceted relations between India and the Maldives, including in areas of trade, tourism, youth and people-to-people exchanges.
