At a ceremony held at the army headquarters in capital Male Sunday afternoon, Indian High Commissioner to the Maldives Rajeev Shahare handed over the cheque, which was received by Maldivian defence minister Adam Shareef.
India had donated two utility helicopters to the Maldives in 2010. Both the choppers are operated out of the domestic airport in the southern island of Kahdhoo in Laamu atoll.
In a statement, the Indian high commission in Male said the grant would be used to fund the construction of a hanger at the Kahdhoo airport and develop other facilities necessary for the operation and maintenance of the helicopters.
The donation by India follows intensified efforts by both the Maldives and India to improve relations. In the latest such development, an Indian navy ship arrived in Maldives last week and conducted Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) surveillance for two days along with the Maldivian Coast Guard.
India’s move to dispatch a navy vessel to the Maldives came after the Maldivian president had on December 8 hailed the foreign policy of its closest neighbour and ally.
In his message on this year’s SAARC Charter Day, the president said foreign policies of SAARC member states should prioritise improving relations with its neighbours. Such an approach, according to the president, is important for a peaceful region, which he said is integral to ensuring peaceful nations.
20/12/15 Amninath Shifleen & Ali Naafiz/Haveeru
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India had donated two utility helicopters to the Maldives in 2010. Both the choppers are operated out of the domestic airport in the southern island of Kahdhoo in Laamu atoll.
In a statement, the Indian high commission in Male said the grant would be used to fund the construction of a hanger at the Kahdhoo airport and develop other facilities necessary for the operation and maintenance of the helicopters.
The donation by India follows intensified efforts by both the Maldives and India to improve relations. In the latest such development, an Indian navy ship arrived in Maldives last week and conducted Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) surveillance for two days along with the Maldivian Coast Guard.
India’s move to dispatch a navy vessel to the Maldives came after the Maldivian president had on December 8 hailed the foreign policy of its closest neighbour and ally.
In his message on this year’s SAARC Charter Day, the president said foreign policies of SAARC member states should prioritise improving relations with its neighbours. Such an approach, according to the president, is important for a peaceful region, which he said is integral to ensuring peaceful nations.
20/12/15 Amninath Shifleen & Ali Naafiz/Haveeru
