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Maldives and India to sign 6 agreements

Ministry of Foreign Affairs has revealed 6 agreements will be signed in 5 different areas during the trip of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi from June 8-9.

Speaking at a press conference held at foreign ministry, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Khaleel said Narendra Modi will arrive in Maldives some time Saturday afternoon. State Minister Khaleel said Prime Minister selecting Maldives as the first stop of the regional trip show the closeness held by prime minister himself to Maldives.

The official welcome will be held in Republic Square at 1600hrs, which will be followed by a meeting and official talks with President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih at President's Office, according to the state minister. The state minister detailed after the official talks, the ceremony will be held to sign memorandum of understandings from 5 areas.

Elaborating on the agreements to be signed, the foreign ministry revealed agreements in cooperation in the field of health, capacity building programme for Maldivian civil servants, sharing wide shipping information between two countries, hydrography and ocean economy, cooperation of customs capacity building and cargo and passenger ferry services between Maldives and India. Continuing on, State Minister Khaleel revealed the coastal radar system established in Maafilaafushi in Lhaviyani Atoll will be inaugurated via a remote link.

President Solih and Prime Minister Modi will issue a joint statement following the signing ceremony of the memorandum of understandings. After delivering the press statement, Prime Minister Modi will arrive at the parliament and address the parliamentarians in a special sitting.

Indian Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to meet other senior officials of the government and leaders of political parties during his two-day visit to Maldives.