Express firm support to India in fight against terror, says Maldives minister
NEW DELHI: India and Maldives on Monday explored ways to enhance defence security cooperation and trade, as Maldivian foreign minister Abdulla Khaleel condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and backed New Delhi's fight against terrorism.
Khaleel is on a three-day visit to India for a meeting of the bilateral high-level core group that oversees the implementation of the comprehensive economic and maritime security partnership that was agreed during Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu's trip to New Delhi last October.
Khaleel led the Maldivian side at the meeting of the core group, with discussions focusing on ways to intensify political exchanges, defence and security cooperation, development partnership, trade, economy, health and people-to-people linkages, the external affairs ministry said.
He also 'strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam' on April 22 and expressed the Maldives' 'solidarity with the people and government of India and its firm support to India in the fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations'.
Khaleel also held a meeting with external affairs minister S Jaishankar, who said in a social media post that he welcomed the Maldives' support and solidarity in combating terrorism.
'India remains committed to Maldives' progress and development,' he added.
This was the second meeting of the core group that oversees the implementation of the bilateral vision document on comprehensive economic and maritime security partnership adopted during Muizzu's visit to India. That visit was aimed at resetting bilateral ties, which had reached an all-time low as Muizzu ordered the removal of some 80 Indian military personnel deployed in the Maldives to operate three aircraft and took steps to move his country closer to Beijing.
India agreed during Muizzu's visit to provide financial support of more than ₹6,300 crore to the Maldives to tide over a foreign exchange crisis. The two sides also decided to begin discussions on a free trade agreement.
Khaleel thanked the Indian government for the 'timely emergency financial assistance extended to Maldives', which had a 'positive impact on the everyday life of Maldivians'.
The external affairs ministry described the Maldives as a key maritime neighbour and an important partner in the 'Neighbourhood First' policy and MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision. The two sides decided to hold the next meeting of the core group in Male on mutually convenient dates.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
31 minutes ago
- Time of India
Rosneft in talks with RIL to sell its stake in Nayara
New Delhi: Russian energy major Rosneft's quest for a buyer for its stake in Nayara Energy seems to have ended up at ' doors after lukewarm response from other Indian businesses, including state-run players. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The two giants have started exploratory talks but it is too early to expect a definitive outcome due to Rosneft's asking price of $20 billion, which had turned off businesses approached earlier. People in the know said Rosneft has softened its demand to $17 billion, which is still daunting for India's largest private player in the oil sector. RIL described these as "market rumour". But if and when these initial contacts translates into a deal, it will make RIL India's largest refiner, displacing state-run IndianOil. RIL currently operates the world's largest refining complex in a single location at Jamnagar in Gujarat, with a total capacity of 68 million tonnes per year. Acquisition of Nayara will add another 20 million tonne per year to its capacity, surpassing IndianOil's 80.7 million tonne, and will boost its market presence by adding 6,750 petrol pumps to its existing network of more than 1,700 outlets operated under Jio-bp brand. Rosneft has been looking to exit Nayara since last year as Western sanctions imposed after Moscow's 2022 military action against Ukraine blocked repatriation of profit. It is not clear how it will repatriate the sale proceeds in case of a deal. The people cited above said last week's deal between RIL's fuel retail brand Jio-bp and the Adani-Total Gas, the gas business venture with French energy major Total, for selling their respective fuels from each other's outlets, could be part of the Nayara acquisition chessboard. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Adani group, among others approached by Rosneft, is reported to have turned down the offer. The reason, in addition to Rosneft's valuation, is the group's agreement with Total that bars further fossil fuel investments. If RIL was to finally acquire Nayara, the Jio-bp deal will provide outlets for fuels, while Adani-Total Gas' CNG business will benefit through access to Nayara's network. People said talks with Rosneft could go the way RIL's bid to rope in Saudi Aramco in its O2C (oil-to-chemicals) venture fell through over valuation, among other reasons. RIL is no stranger to Rosneft, having signed in Dec 2024 a deal for supply of 500,000 barrels per day of oil. It was valued at around $12-13 billion per year at oil prices of that time.
The Print
35 minutes ago
- The Print
Economist, policy researcher-writer & ThePrint columnist Radhika Pandey passes away at 46
The 46-year-old was also a columnist for ThePrint, contributing a weekly article and video titled MacroSutra, in which she discussed topical financial and macroeconomic matters. An associate professor at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP), Pandey was a macroeconomist with over 20 years of experience in public policy and teaching, previously having held the position of lecturer at the National Law University (NLU) Jodhpur. New Delhi: Economist, writer, policy researcher Radhika Pandey passed away on Saturday at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) in New Delhi. She had recently undergone an emergency liver transplant surgery. 'There are so many policies of the Indian government where you can see Radhika's influence and research,' said Ila Patnaik, chief economist at the Aditya Birla Group and former professor at NIPFP. 'It is a tremendous loss for the community, and for me personally.' Patnaik and Pandey were long-time collaborators, working together at NIPFP and also in several policy research teams for central government ministries. Patnaik recalled how Pandey's working paper on inflation targeting measures greatly influenced the actual framework developed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). 'She was one of those rare academics who had experience in both law and finance, and her contribution in policy making was huge,' said Patnaik. 'She didn't focus on just publishing papers but on the real research that goes behind actual policy making.' Before joining NIPFP in 2008, Pandey was a professor at National Law University (NLU), Jodhpur where she taught finance, law, and regulation to post-graduate students. She did her MA and PhD from the Jai Narain Vyas University (formerly known as University of Jodhpur) in economics and B.A. in economics from Banaras Hindu University. 'More than anything, she was one of the most dedicated people I had seen. Right from 2008 when she joined, we have been working together and we never really stopped,' said Patnaik. Also Read: What RBI's 3 surprise moves in its June policy signal about its growth outlook 'Great communicator' Aside from being a regular columnist for ThePrint since 2021, Pandey was also the lead coordinator for the Task Force for Public Debt Management Agency, constituted by the Ministry of Finance in 2014. The list of her working papers and publications indicates Pandey's breadth of expertise–from bond markets to public finance to carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) tax to even business cycles. She also worked with Patnaik in a research team led by Justice for the Financial Sectors Legislative Reforms Commission in 2011. Her interest extended beyond financial regulations in India, as she was also a part of the research team led by former civil servant U.K. Sinha for the 'Working Group on Foreign Investment.' 'She was very sought after by news publications too, because she was a great communicator. I would follow her articles and videos regularly, even when I was not actively in touch with her,' said Mandar Kagade, the founder-principal at Black Dot Public Policy Advisors. Pandey, he said, was one of the only people he went to for any query about financial policy, regulations, and macroeconomic doubt. Patnaik also said that Pandey's influence extended beyond the policy sphere, beyond the background work. Through her columns and videos for news organisations, she was not just doing research but also talking about it to the public, the economist said. 'Look at her MacroSutra, the number of people that appreciated her work was huge. She was always interacting with the public, explaining and talking about economic policies, making them accessible,' said Patnaik. 'Yes, she was an associate professor at NIPFP, but she was also so much more than that.' Pandey was admitted to the ILBS Hospital earlier this month, due to acute liver failure caused by jaundice. Her last Macrosutra video for ThePrint was shot while she was at the hospital, on Pandey's own insistence. 'I remember visiting her and asking her to take a break from work for a bit so she could recover,' recalled Patniak. 'But she said no. I'll shoot the video, I'll write the article. That was her dedication to her work. You don't find such people in today's world.' (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: UK FTA is good news for India amid global turbulence. Domestic reforms must follow market access
Time of India
35 minutes ago
- Time of India
Fruit growers suffer losses as prices continues to crash
Mysuru: The first half of 2025 was bitter for fruit growers. After mango and jackfruit, now Indian black plum (nerale hannu) and pomegranate growers are in tears due to a price crash in the market. The prices of mangoes continued to fall, with rates of most varieties now below Rs 100. The prices of Indian black plum, which were between Rs 200 and Rs 400 last year, crashed to Rs 100 per kg in the city market. A kilogram of pomegranate is available for Rs 60 to Rs 100, which was never below Rs 150 per kg in the previous years. According to Baburao, a black plum grower from HD Kote, due to its health benefits, the fruit was giving bumper profits for the growers in previous years. "Last year, it reached up to Rs 400 per kilogram. Every fruit was like a piece of gold. This year, there is no demand at all. The traders are demanding the fruit for Rs 50 to Rs 60 at the plantation," he said. "That is why I am selling directly. Due to excess supply, there are no takers," he said, and lamented that the quality of the fruit has come down due to early rain. Meanwhile, pomegranate growers are demanding immediate govt intervention to save them. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Adidas Three Shorts With 60% Discount, Limited Stock Available Original Adidas Shop Now Undo Kaka Patil, a grower from Koppala, said he arrived to Mysuru to sell the crop as there is no demand locally. "Pomegranate never lets down the growers. But this year, we are selling it for half the price of last year," he said. Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene president Badagalapura Nagendra stated that the excess supply of pomegranate from neighbouring states has resulted in a price crash. "We are raising the issue with the state govt," he said. He also stated that he is surprised by the price crash of black plum, which is used in medicines. Meanwhile, even during the end of the season, there is no reprieve for the mango growers, with prices continuing to fall. Badami and Rasapuri mango varieties are sold for Rs 40 per kg, causing a huge loss for growers.
