President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom said that Maldivian Independence would have been lost, had it not been for the generous aid provided by India during the past 50 years.
He made the statement while speaking at a ceremony held today at N. Landhoo. The ceremony was held to mark the opening of the new power station in the island.
In the ceremony, President Yameen highlighted the fact that India and the Maldives have inseparable ties with each other, and that it had been that way in all of the governments.
“India and Maldives have a strong bond. And although there were some tensions between both countries due to the issue regarding the GMR company and the airport, it did not shake up the bond at all,” he added.
The President also reminded that it was the aid provided by the Indian government that saved Maldives from attacks by the Tamil Tigers in November 3, 1988.
“At that most critical instance (in the 1988 attacks), it is to be acknowledged that India’s aid is swift, yet invaluable. Had it not been for that, Maldives would had lost fifty years of independence,” he said.
President Yameen assured that the government is still working on further strengthening the ties between India and Maldives. As such, the Maldives is more than willing to welcome prospective Indian businesses with open arms.
While the President had personally thanked India for their aid, he noted that mentioning the GMR issues is not, in any way, aimed to degrade India.