India today assured Maldives that bilateral ties would continue to flourish and that it gives "highest priority" to further strengthen relations between the two countries.
The remarks came after new Indian High Commissioner to the Maldives Rajeev Shahare presented his letter of credence to President Mohamed Waheed.
At the ceremony held at the President's Office, President Waheed congratulated the new High Commissioner and welcomed him to the Maldives.
Meeting the new High Commissioner afterwards, the President and the High Commissioner discussed bilateral relations that exist between the two countries and ways to further strengthen ties, according to the President's Office.
"High Commissioner Shahare reassured President Waheed that relations between the Maldives and India would continue to flourish, and that it was his highest priority to further strengthen relations between the two countries," a statement issued by the Maldivian President's office said.
Shahare was previously a Joint Secretary in the West Asia North Africa division in the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.
D M Mulay who Shahare replaced had completed his term and left the Maldives late last month. Mulay has been appointed as India's Consul General in New York.
The new High Commissioner's appointment comes at a time when bilateral ties between India and Maldives have been severely strained mostly due to the abrupt termination of the contract given to India's GMR for the modernisation of the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA).
