India announced a $500 million package to fund a project in the Maldives on Thursday to help it connect the capital Male to three nearby islands, stepping up New Delhi’s diplomatic efforts in a region China has also been focusing recently.
The Indian Ocean island nation, popular with tourists for its beaches and turquoise waters, has become a focal point in China’s Belt and Road Initiative aimed at building trade and transport links across the region.
On Thursday, external affairs minister S Jaishankar told his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid that New Delhi will support the Male connectivity project with a grant of $100 million and a new line of credit of $400 million, the Indian foreign ministry said.
November 23, 2024
Add Comment