Maldives-India relations have never been better: Abdulla Shahid

"Maldives-India relations have never been better," Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid, who met Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during his recent visit to India, told Stratnews Global.

On Indian financial aid, he said, "It has been very transparent and accounted for."

"As for other countries through which we have raised debt, we are very proud that we have been able to keep the payments going and we will continue to pay," Abdulla Shahid added.

The Minister expressed his hope Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih will win a second term.

The President recently sent a letter to the political parties in the Maldives and invited them to discuss forming a coalition with Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) for the upcoming presidential elections.

The letter was sent on behalf of the President on Sunday, to the ruling coalition parties.

They are the Maldives' republican party, Jumhooree Party (JP), religiously conservative Adhaalath Party and the Maldives Reform Movement (MRM) founded by former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, reports The Edition.

In January, Solih had won the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) presidential primary election.