New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday (February 20, 2021) handed over 1 lakh additional doses of the made-in-India COVID-19 vaccine to the Maldives. The Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid and Health Minister Ahmed Naseem received the coronavirus vaccine.

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After handing over the vaccines, EAM Jaishankar took to his official Twitter account and expressed, "From the people of India to the people of Maldives."



The Maldives Health Minister Ahmed Naseem thanked the people of India for a 'generous gift' and said, "Together, we will overcome COVID-19. Together, we will succeed."


S Jaishankar also interacted with Abdulla Shahid and said that 'an extraordinarily deep partnership' between India and the Maldives was reaffirmed during the meeting.


"Comprehensive talks with Maldives FM Abdulla Shahid. Deeply appreciate our close cooperation during Covid. Agreed to look beyond at post-pandemic economic recovery," Jaishankar tweeted.



Jaishankar also witnessed the exchange of agreements on a wide range of domains India and the Maldives are working on together including fish processing, public broadcasting, sustainable urban development, road infrastructure and housing. 



During the visit, Jaishankar also spoke at the Ekuveni Stadium in the Maldives. In November 2020, the Indian Foreign Secretary had done the groundbreaking for the synthetic track at the stadium which was inaugurated by the Maldives President in January, 2021. The EAM at the stadium announced that New Delhi has offered a standalone Line of Credit (LOC) of $ 40 million for Sports Infrastructure in the Maldives. The new LOC will be signed after the formalities are complete.

Following five pacts were signed between India and Maldives on Saturday:

1. Amendatory Agreement to repurpose an older EXIM Bank of India Line of Credit of USD 25 million for Road Devt

2. Letter of Intent between EXIM Bank and local authorities for financing a housing project of 2000 units in Hulhumale.

3. MoU on grant funding USD 0.5 million for a fish processing plant in Kendhikulhudhoo in the northern Maldives.

4. MoU on capacity building and exchange of content and expertise between Prasar Bharati and Public State Media, Maldives.

5. MoU on sustainable urban development between MoHUA and Ministry of national planning, housing and infrastructure, Maldives.

Jaishankar arrived in the Maldives on the first leg of his two-nation tour that also includes Mauritius.



India, notably, had provided 1,00,000 doses of Covisheild COVID-19 vaccine in January to the Maldives as part of the country's grant assistance. India has also provided COVID-19 vaccines to several other countries.