"India will be a very crucial partner going forward," Maldives President says

Male [Maldives], July 26 (ANI): Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu acknowledged India's cooperation with the nation through all these years.
Muizzu, while talking to reporters on the sidelines of their Independence Day celebration, said that he was excited to see the implementation of the MoUs signed here and the implementation of the UPI.
"We all see how India has helped the Maldives in the past, and nobody will doubt how India will be a very crucial partner going forward," he said.
When asked about agreements with India related to the Line of Credit, debt repayment, FTA, and UPI, Muizzu said that it will help the locals as well as tourists.
"Definitely it will greatly help the Maldives going forward. So we are really looking forward to implementing the agreements and the MoUs we have signed. I think both our countries, people are looking forward because it will definitely benefit the tourists who come here and for the Maldivians who go to India. We are very hopeful, very hopeful. I think we just started on it and definitely help locals and tourists from India who come here. We hope to conclude it very soon," he said.
Muizzu further thanked PM Modi for accepting his invitation to the Independence Day celebrations.
"On behalf of all the Maldivians, I sincerely thank Prime Minister Modi for accepting my invitation to come to the Maldives on this very important historic occasion," he said.
Muizzu hoped to see a rise in tourism from India post PM Modi's visit.
"Well, India is one of the major tourism countries that helps the Maldives with tourism. And definitely with Prime Minister's visit, it is going to increase a lot and I'm surepeople to people exchange between the two countries will greatly boost," he said.
Muizzu said that PM Modi was a wonderful person and is fond of building good relations with his neighbours.
"PM Modi is a wonderful person who is very fond of building relationships between India's neighbours. The Maldives and India have a very good relationship that goes back centuries, and with PM Modi's leadership, cooperation between the two governments is going to be even more prosperous in the days ahead," he said.
On being asked about his plan to visit India this year, Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu says, "I hope so. I don't know whether this year or not, but maybe in the near future." (ANI)