‘India will always be our Best Friend’

Saturday 14th of December 2019

‘India will always be our Best Friend’

Maldives Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid talks about bilateral ties with India, China and Sri Lanka. He says that India has provided assistance in every difficulty Maldives has faced and former government had a very bad experience by trying to push away the country away. However, regardless of the strengthening bong with India and existing relationship with China, he doesn’t see the relationship with any other country having any impact on India-Maldives relations. “There is no need to play one against one another. Doing that will hurt everyone.”

Speaking about ties with Sri Lanka, Minister Shahid says, “What happens in Sri Lanka impacts the Maldives and what happens in the Maldives, impacts Sri Lanka. After Malé, Colombo has the second-highest concentration of Maldivians. So, we engage with every government and with everyone, we have a good relationship.” He says that regardless of the change of government, the relationship will flourish.