India reaffirmed its longstanding partnership with the Maldives on Friday through a series of high-level diplomatic engagements, held as part of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ongoing state visit to the Maldives. The two-day programme, hosted at the invitation of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, featured the handover of major infrastructure projects and defence equipment, marking more than sixty years of bilateral cooperation and underscoring New Delhi's enduring role in regional development and security.
At the centre of the proceedings was the transfer of symbolic keys to 3,300 residential units in Hulhumalé, ceremonially presented by Prime Minister Modi to President Muizzu at a special ceremony held at the President's Office. Financed under an Indian line of credit extended through the Export-Import Bank of India, the housing project is substantially complete and ready for formal allocation to its designated recipients.
The development is part of a wider undertaking to construct 4,000 units in Hulhumalé Phase II, supported by a USD 227 million facility from India's Exim Bank. This large-scale initiative comprises 32 towers, with construction divided equally between KPIL and NBCC. The units include 1,200 two-bedroom flats measuring 650 square feet and 2,800 three-bedroom flats at 900 square feet. Seven hundred of these had previously been handed over during President Muizzu's official visit to India in October 2024, and agreements with the beneficiaries are currently being signed.
India extended its support beyond housing by transferring 72 heavy-duty vehicles to the Maldivian National Defence Force (MNDF) in a demonstration of strategic cooperation. Prime Minister Modi presented the keys directly to President Muizzu. The diverse fleet includes eight 27-seater buses, ten pickups, ten small vans, ten standard vans, five lorries, eight tractors, four tipper dump trucks, four backhoe loaders, two cranes, six mini excavators, and five full-sized excavators. The vehicles are intended to enhance operational capacity across MNDF divisions.
Regional infrastructure progress was evident as the leaders marked the completion of a road construction project in Addu City, developed under the same Indian credit facility. Parallel to this, six High Impact Community Development Projects were inaugurated across outer islands. These include youth centres, open-air gym facilities, a volleyball court, and a fish processing plant, each project implemented with Indian support and directed at strengthening local resilience.
The culmination of the visit was marked by the joint unveiling of a commemorative stamp, honouring sixty years of diplomatic relations between the Maldives and India. The gesture served as a tangible expression of shared priorities and mutual commitment. Eight new bilateral agreements were also exchanged during the visit, extending cooperation across a range of developmental sectors.