Male: A team from India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday reviewed the progress of important infrastructure development projects, including the redevelopment of the Hanimadhoo International Airport, being carried out under the Indian concessional Line of Credit.
The projects are being carried out by the Development Partnership Administration (DPA) of the Ministry of External Affairs which seeks “Strengthening Friendship through Developmental Partnerships.”
Over several decades, India has helped the Maldives in developing multiple infrastructure projects.
The MEA team is led by Suja K Menon, who is the joint secretary at the DPA in the External Affairs Ministry.
“As part of 4th India-Maldives LOC Review Meeting, team led by JS @dpa_mea appreciated the remarkable progress under the Hanimadhoo International Airport Redevelopment Project & Water and Sanitation projects in Baarah and Kelaa islands implemented under Indian concessional Line of Credit,” the Indian Mission in Maldives posted on X after the DPA team visited several of the project sites.
Earlier on Tuesday, the DPA team visited other project sites, including the Gan International Airport Redevelopment project.
“Fostering Partnership in Development! Site visits to Addu City Development Project- Roads & Reclamation and Gan International Airport Redevelopment by Ms Suja K Menon JS (DPA I) @dpa_mea to review the project progress as part of 4th India-Maldives LOC Review Meeting,” the Indian Mission said in a post on X after the visits along with photos from the site.
Before the site visits, India and Maldives had conducted bilateral review meetings in connection with the LOC projects.
On Monday, the India-Maldives LOC review meeting saw “useful interaction with stakeholders across Ministries,” the Indian Mission said, “to take stock of ongoing projects and further streamline their implementation for effective delivery.”
“The fourth bilateral review meeting between Maldives-India on Indian LoC projects assessed ongoing projects and addressed challenges for progress,” the Maldives’ Foreign Ministry post on X said along with photos from the meeting that took place earlier in the day.
The meeting was co-chaired by Indian Ambassador Munu Mahawar and attended by officials from MEA, India’s Exim Bank, and officials from agencies of the government of Maldives.
The Maldives’ proximity to India, barely 70 nautical miles from the island of Minicoy in Lakshadweep Islands and 300 nautical miles from the mainland’s western coast, and its location at the hub of commercial sea lanes running through the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) gives it significant strategic importance.
Meanwhile, Maldives has signed an agreement with a Chinese company for the maintenance of an important bridge that was constructed by another Chinese company, local media reported on Thursday, as Beijing stepped up its activities here following the election of Mohamed Muizzu, a pro-China leader, as the country’s President.
Maldives’ Minister of Construction and Infrastructure Abdulla Muththalib said that under the agreement the signing ceremony took place on Wednesday with China “will help maintain the bridge and increase capacity for the work within the Maldives,” according to news portal Edition.mv.
Inaugurated in August 2018, the Sinamale bridge that connects the capital Male with Hulhumale Island, which has the Velana International Airport, is the largest infrastructure project in the archipelago nation.
Of the total cost of nearly USD 200 million, as much as USD 116 million was a grant from the Chinese government; USD 72 million was a loan from China while the Maldivian government spent USD 12 million, the news portal said.
