Ferry service from Kochi, cricket stadium on PM’s agenda in Male

NEW DELHI: India is looking to start a ferry service from Kochi to the Maldives, apart from expediting several other projects, to boost connectivity with the Indian Ocean country, the government said ahead of PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Male, the first by an Indian PM in eight years.
Official sources said the choice of the nation for Modi’s first foreign visit was reflective of the significance that India associates with the ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.
During the visit, the PM will address the Maldivian Parliament, the Majlis, an indication of India’s and Modi’s important position in the neighbourhood, said an official. Before the address, the PM is expected to hold discussions with Speaker Mohamed Nasheed. “As a mark of respect for the PM, Maldives will honour him with the Order of Nishanizzuddeen at the President’s Office,’’ the official said.
Foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale said India is also looking to improve inter-island connectivity in the Maldives. “One of the projects we are looking at, the high impact community development project, is in fact island connectivity providing speedboats, particularly to students, to move from one island to another,’’ he said.
While Modi is expected to inaugurate a coastal surveillance radar system and a training centre for the Maldivian defence forces, India is also looking to build a cricket stadium in the country with a line of credit. Maldives President Ibrahim Solih had earlier expressed interest in developing a Maldivian cricket team.
“The coastal surveillance radar system is a system that we have shared with a number of other countries in our region as well. The idea is to monitor white shipping and to help that country to preserve its sovereignty in its EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) and this is in addition to Maldives a number of other nations have also been given the coastal surveillance radar system,’’ Gokhale said.
India is also looking to start high impact community projects with a grant of Rs 50 crore. Fourteen projects have been identified in various areas, including connectivity between islands, and drug rehabilitation centres.
Gokhale said one of the main objectives of Modi’s visit, the first by an Indian PM since 2011, was to assist the Maldives as a development partner in the revival and development of their economy.
Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka will also be significant as this will be the first time any head of state in the world will visit the country after the Easter attacks. His visit was described by Indian officials as a clear mark of solidarity from the people of India with the people of Sri Lanka after the bombings.
An official said under Modi, the Indian government had handed over the first lot of houses built under a $350 million project for people, mostly Tamils who live in Sri Lanka’s tea plantation areas.