Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla on Tuesday met various opposition leaders, including former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom in the Maldives, reported Sun news. 

Shringla who wrapped up his two-day long official tour Tuesday to the Indian Ocean archipelago, met with leaders from the Progressive Party of Maldives, People’s National Congress, and others. 

At a time when the ruling dispensation in the Maldives has been facing protests like “IndiaOut” over the alleged “excessive presence” of Indian military personnel,  Shringla’s meeting is being seen as India’s outreach to create multiparty consensus for favourable bilateral relations.

Relations between the two nations nosedived during the reign of former President Abdullah Yameen, only to recover in 2018 after the new administration under the leadership of Mohamad Solih took charge. 

Shringla also appreciated the role of former president Abdullah Gayoom in strengthening the foundation of bilateral relations between India and the Maldives. 

This was the first trip Shringla undertook to the Maldives after assuming the charge of foreign secretary in January this year. The visit to the strategically important nation was delayed for a long time due to restrictions that were placed after the COVID pandemic. 

During his two-day trip, India and Maldives signed four MOUs for cooperation in various development sectors like agriculture, drug rehabilitation, and youth affairs. He also hailed Maldives’ “India First” policy adopted by President Solih. 

 Earlier Shringla held deliberation with Foreign Secretary Abdul Gafoor and also met with Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid, Economic Minister Fayyaj Ismail, Finance minister Ibrahim Ameer, and Speaker and former President Nasheed.