Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday greeted people of the Maldives on their 50th Independence Day, calling it a "valued partner".
"Greetings to the wonderful people of the Republic of Maldives as they celebrate 50th anniversary of their independence," he said in a message.
He added: "Maldives is a valued partner in the Indian Ocean neighbourhood and our ties are built on a very strong foundation."
The Maldives was under British control since 1887 until it gained independence on July 26, 1965.
