New Delhi: Maldivian foreign minister Moosa Zameer on Saturday, April 6 thanked India for the renewal of the quota to allow Maldives to import essential commodities from India during 2024 and 2025.
Zameer took to X to express his gratitude and underlined that the gesture signified the “longstanding friendship” between India and Maldives and the “strong commitment to expand bilateral trade and commerce”.
I sincerely thank EAM @DrSJaishankar and the Government of #India for the renewal of the quota to enable #Maldives to import essential commodities from India during the years 2024 and 2025.
AdvertisementThis is truly a gesture which signifies the longstanding friendship, and the strong…
— Moosa Zameer (@MoosaZameer) April 5, 2024
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External Affairs minister S. Jaishankar responded to Zameer’s post.
You are welcome, FM @MoosaZameer.
India stands firmly committed to its Neighbourhood First and SAGAR policies. https://t.co/mKYOYu2aM9
Advertisement— Dr. S. Jaishankar (Modi Ka Parivar) (@DrSJaishankar) April 6, 2024
As per The Hindu report, Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) is India’s policy or doctrine of maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean region.
“India allowed the export of certain quantities of essential commodities for the year 2024-25 at the request of the Maldives government,” the Indian High Commission said in Male on April 5.
The Indian High Commissioner mentioned on X that this was being done “under a unique bilateral mechanism” and the quotas for each of these items were revised. “The approved quantities are the highest since this arrangement came into effect in 1981.”
Notably, the quota renewal announcement comes amidst a diplomatic row between the two countries since November last year when President Mohamed Muizzu, known for his pro-China leanings, told Al Jazeera that he would request India to remove troops on “day one” and hoped that they would be “withdrawn” within the first week of his presidency.
