New Delhi (NVI): India and Maldives as close friends and neighbours will continue to support each other in their fight against the health and economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said.
Modi was responding to a tweet by Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in which he expressed his gratitude towards the Indian government for providing financial assistance to his country.
“India has always risen to the occasion whenever Maldives needed a friend. My sincere thanks to PM @narendramodi , government and people of India for their neighborly spirit and generosity following the official handover of USD250 million as financial assistance today,” Solih tweeted.
PM Modi replied, “Appreciate your warm sentiments, President @ibusolih! As close friends and neighbours, India and Maldives will continue to support each other in our fight against the health and economic impact of COVID-19.”
Appreciate your warm sentiments, President @ibusolih! As close friends and neighbours, India and Maldives will continue to support each other in our fight against the health and economic impact of COVID-19. https://t.co/esNRBWJxZg
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 21, 2020
India had extended a USD 250 million loan to the Maldives government to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19, in which the State Bank of India (SBI) will subscribe to a Treasury Bond issued by the Government of Maldives with a 10-year tenure.
The loan was handed over at a ceremony in the presence of Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid, Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer, Indian High Commissioner Sunjay Sudhir and CEO of SBI in Male, Bharat Mishra.
The loan has been extended in response to the request made by Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for financial assistance and was announced after the virtual meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid earlier this year.
Foreign Minister of Maldives Abdulla Shahid thanked India for the financial assistance and speaking in Hindi termed India as a “Mahan Mitra” of the Maldives during the tough times caused by the pandemic.
-CHK
