Modi Pays Tribute to Sri Lanka Bombing Victims, Concludes Visit
The choice of the two countries underlines the government’s continued emphasis on the neighbourhood-first policy.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his two-nation visit to Maldives and Sri Lanka on Sunday, 9 June, and has left for India. He was accompanied by Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to the airport.
PM Modi has earlier on Sunday visited a church – one of the sites of the recent Easter attacks – soon after his arrival in Sri Lanka. He paid tributes to the victims of the terror strikes, expressing India's affirmation of solidarity with Sri Lanka in the wake of the attacks.
Later, Modi also addressed the Indian community overseas at the India House in Colombo.
On Saturday, PM Modi and Maldives President Ibrahim Solih had held wide-ranging talks as the two nations signed six agreements to strengthen bilateral ties in a number of key areas, including defence and maritime.
- PM Modi is the first world leader to visit Sri Lanka after the Easter bombings
- The choice of nations for PM Modi’s first overseas visit in his second term emphasises India’s neighbourhood-first policy
- PM Modi was conferred with Maldives’ highest honour, Rule of Nishan Izzuddeen, by President Solih on Saturday
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Modi's Visit to Maldives First PM-level Trip to Country Since 2011
Modi will first travel to Maldives, in his first bilateral visit after retaining power in the Lok Sabha polls. During the PM's visit, Maldives and India are likely to sign agreements related to customs, white shipping and training of civil servants among others.
Gokhale said it will be the first PM-level trip to Maldives since 2011 and both sides will aim to further consolidate overall ties in diverse sectors.
Along with Maldivian President Ibrahim Solih, Modi will also inaugurate two completed projects.
Modi is also scheduled to address the Parliament of Maldives on 8 June, according to Gokhale.
Gokhale said Solih had expressed his interest in developing a cricket team in Maldives and was keen on India's assistance in training and bringing the country upto requisite standards.
PM Modi's Visit to Sri Lanka Has Clear Message of Solidarity After Bombings
The Prime Minister will be visiting Sri Lanka on 9 June with a very clear message of solidarity in the wake of the Easter bombings, Foreign Secretary Gokhale said.
Modi, on his third visit to the country, will be the first foreign leader to visit the island nation after the Easter bombings which killed over 250 people, including 11 Indians.
"This will be the first foreign visit by a foreign head to Sri Lanka after the tragic incident. It is a very special gesture and a very clear message of solidarity that the people and Government of India stand firmly with the people and Government of Sri Lanka at this tragic time," Gokhale said.
Modi is expected to reach the country at 11 am and will attend an official luncheon hosted by the Sri Lankan President Sirisena, where he will hold bilateral talks. He is also expected to meet the Prime Minister and the Leader of Opposition of Sri Lanka.
Sri Lankan police said they have made elaborate security arrangements for the visit, including traffic movement restrictions during the day.
PM Modi's Visit Will Send a Message About Safety of Sri Lanka: High Commissioner
The Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India, Austin Fernando, agreed that PM Narendra Modi's visit to Sri Lanka will send a message that it is a safe place to travel to. “We would like the Indian government to lift the travel advisory for Sri Lanka,” he said.
“His visit to Sri Lanka after the 21st April bombings sends a message internationally. Domestically when we look at it, it gives a message that here is a head of a government who is visiting to show solidarity,” Fernando added.
Ahead of Visit, PM Modi Issues Departure Statement
Ahead of his upcoming visit to Maldives and Sri Lanka, PM Modi tweeted gratitude to Solih for the invite to Maldives and also re-iterated India’s support to Sri Lanka.
In a departure statement, Modi wrote, “I am confident that my visit to the Maldives and Sri Lanka will further strengthen our close and cordial ties with our maritime neighbours, in line with our ‘Neighbourhood-First Policy’ and the vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region.”
PM Modi to Be Conferred With Maldives Highest State Award for Foreign Dignitaries
President of Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has decided to confer the Highest State Award of Maldives for foreign dignitaries to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This was confirmed by Foreign Minister of Maldives, Abdulla Shahid.
PM Modi Foreign Visit: Modi Arrives in Maldives
PM Modi reached Maldives on Saturday, 8 June afternoon. During the PM's visit, Maldives and India are likely to sign agreements related to customs, White Shipping Agreement (WSA) and training of civil servants among others.
PM Modi Foreign Visit: "Great Honour", Says Maldivian Foreign Minister
PM Modi was received at Male airport by Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid, who tweeted, saying it was a “great honour” that Modi was visiting the country.
PM Modi Maldives Visit: Maldivian President Receives Modi at Republic Square
PM Narendra Modi has arrived at the Republic Square in Male and has been received by the President of Maldives, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
PM Modi in Maldives: Strong Ties With Maldives Important for India, Tweets Modi
After reaching Maldives on a state visit, PM Modi tweeted, saying the visit “indicates the importance India attaches to strong ties with the Republic of Maldives”.
PM Modi Inspects Guard of Honour at Male's Republic Square
PM Modi on Saturday received a ceremonial welcome and guard of honour at the Republic Square. In a significant gesture, Modi was honoured with a 21-gun salute.
PM Modi in Maldives: Modi, Solih Hold Meeting in Male
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih are holding delegation level talks in Male.
PM Modi in Maldives: Indian Community Extends Warm Welcome to Modi
The Indian community in Maldives extended a warm welcome to PM Modi upon his arrival in Male on Saturday.
PM Modi in Maldives: Modi Presents Solih With Cricket Bat
PM Modi has presented the Maldives President with a cricket bat signed by Team India. Modi said India will help promote cricket in the Maldives and fulfil President Solih's mission to develop the sport in the country to consolidate people-to-people relations.
PM Modi Conferred With Maldives' Highest Honour Accorded to Foreign Dignitaries
PM Narendra Modi has been conferred with Maldives' highest honour accorded to foreign dignitaries, 'The Most Honourable Order of the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddeen'.
PM Modi in Maldives: Modi Addresses Joint Press Meet With President Solih
PM Modi is addressing a joint press meet with President Solih. At the press meet he said, “Today, I have been conferred with Maldives' highest honour, I humbly accept this. It is not just an honour conferred upon me but it is respect given to the friendship and relations between our two countries.”
PM Modi in Maldives: Give Utmost Importance to Relationship With Maldives, Says Modi
“India gives utmost importance to its relationship with Maldives. We want to have a strong partnership with each other. India is willing to help Maldives in every way possible. May the friendship between India and Maldives last forever,” Modi said in the press meet in Male.
“By issuing RuPay Card in Maldives, there will be an increase in the number of Indian tourists in Maldives. We will soon take measures in this direction. Also, there have been discussions over making the defense services stronger in Maldives,” Modi added.
PM Modi in Maldives: Modi to Address Maldives Parliament
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived at the People’s Majlis, the Parliament of Maldives, where he is scheduled to make an address.
PM Modi in Maldives: Modi and Solih Hold Talks, Sign 6 Agreements
Modi and Maldives President Solih held wide-ranging talks on Saturday as the two countries signed six agreements to strengthen bilateral ties in a number of key areas including defence and maritime.
The first Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was for cooperation in the fields of hydrography. Another was on health.
The other agreements include the establishment of passenger and cargo services by sea, cooperation in customs capacity building between the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs of India and the Maldives Customs Service.
An MoU was also signed between the National Centre for Good Governance, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances and Maldives Civil Service Commission on Training and Capacity Building Programme for Maldivian civil servants.
A technical agreement on sharing white shipping information between the Indian Navy and the Maldives National Defence Force was also signed.
A coastal surveillance radar system and a composite training centre for the Maldives defence forces were jointly inaugurated by the two leaders. Modi also said India has agreed on the construction of a Friday Mosque in the southern part of the Maldives where an urban development centre is being built.
PM Modi Addresses Maldives Parliament, Says India Maldives' Closest Friend
“I am delighted to be here today in the Maldives and in this assembly. This decision to invite me was taken in the very first meeting after Mohamed Nasheed became Maldives' parliamentary speaker. This gesture has touched the hearts of every Indian,” Modi said, as he addressed the Maldives Parliament on Saturday.
He said that India was Maldives’ closest friend, who stood by the country to help strengthen its democracy.
“'Neighborhood First' is our priority. Relations between India and Maldives are older than history,” Modi added.
Modi also addressed the issue of terrorism in the world.
PM Modi in Maldives: State-Sponsored Terrorism Biggest Threat Faced Today, Says Modi
Speaking at the Maldives Parliament, PM Modi said State sponsorship of terrorism is the biggest threat the world faces today.
“Terrorism is a danger not just for a country but the entire civilisation. State-sponsored terrorism is the biggest threat today. It is important for the world community to come together to fight the challenge of terrorism and radicalisation,” he said.
“It's very unfortunate that people still make the mistake of distinguishing between 'good and bad' terrorists,” PM Modi said.
India Will Help in Conservation of Friday Mosque in Maldives: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday that India will contribute to the conservation of one of the Maldives' iconic Friday Mosque, a historic landmark made up of coral stones.
Addressing the Maldivian Parliament, The People's Majlis, Modi said the relations between India and the Maldives were older than history.
"There is no such mosque elsewhere in the world like this historical mosque made up of coral," Modi said.
Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih thanked the Indian side for their offer to carry out restoration of the mosque by the Archaeological Survey of India under an Indian grant.
Modi Bats for Making Indo-Pacific a Region for Shared Prosperity
India underscored its firm commitment to make the strategic Indo-Pacific an area for shared economic growth as Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday addressed the Maldivian Parliament, amidst China flexing its muscles in the region.
Modi arrived in the South Asian archipelago nation on Saturday to strengthen the bilateral ties on his first foreign visit since being elected to a second term, reflecting the importance India attaches to its 'Neighbourhood First' policy.
"The Indo-Pacific area is our lifeline and also the highway to trade. This is the key to our shared future in every sense," the Prime Minister said.
Modi underlined that at the Shangri-La Dialogue forum in Singapore last June, he had stressed on working together "to create openness, integration and balance" in the Indo-Pacific region.
PM Modi in Maldives: In a First, Ferry Service to Connect India and Maldives
India and the Maldives on Saturday agreed to launch a ferry service connecting the two countries as PM Modi and President Solih emphasised the need to improve connectivity.
The two leaders have directed officials to expeditiously work towards starting a regular passenger-cum-cargo ferry service between Kerala's Kochi and the Maldivian capital Male via Kulhudhuffushi atoll.
The initiative, which is expected to boost tourism, was announced during Modi's two-day state visit to the Indian Ocean archipelago.
The distance between Kochi and Male is about 700 kms, and between Kochi and Kulhudhuffushi atoll is 500 kms.
Addressing the Maldivian Parliament, Modi said: "I am particularly happy that we have agreed upon a ferry service between the two countries".
A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed between the two sides for the establishment of passenger and cargo services by sea.
PM Modi Arrives in Colombo, Received by Lankan PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Colombo on Sunday, 9 June, and was received by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
PM Modi Pays Tribute to Victims at St Anthony's Church
PM Narendra Modi pays tribute to victims at St Anthony’s Church in Colombo. The church had come under terrorist attack in April this year during Easter Sunday.
PM Modi Plants Sapling in SL Presidential Secretariat
Prime Minister Narendra Modi planted a sapling at the Sri Lankan Presidential Secretariat on Sunday, in the presence of Maithripala Sirisena.
PM Modi Meets Sri Lankan President
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena in Colombo on Sunday.
PM Modi Address Indian Overseas Community in Colombo
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Indian Community at India House in Colombo during his Sri Lanka visit on Sunday, 9 June.
“I am happy to share that the Indian community overseas and the Government of India are on the same page when it comes to several issues,” Modi said.
He also urged the Indian diaspora to contribute to India's development and said the country's image had changed a lot in the last few years.
PM Modi Leaves For India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, 9 June, left from Colombo for India after concluding his two-nation visit to Sri Lanka and Maldives.
Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickremesinghe, had accompanied PM Modi to the airport.
PM Arrives in Arunachal Pradesh
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh after visiting Maldives and Sri Lanka. Modi was received by Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy. The prime minister will offer prayers at temple of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala.