Thaindian News

Male, Jan 28 (IANS) Maldives has learnt its “lessons from the Indian experience”, said President Mohamed Nasheed as the Indian envoy here described the country as “perhaps one of India’s closest partners”.

President Nasheed said his country would “continue to get aspirations and lessons from the Indian experience”.

He said consolidation of democracy, including establishing a rule of law and an independent judiciary, is “our biggest and most important project”.

Addressing a gathering, the president lauded the Indian “people, its government and its institutions for the very necessary and good assistance they continue to give to the Maldives in our work to become a democratic society”.

“Very often we have to invent, and invent out of the box,” a communique quoted him as saying.

The Friendship Association of India-Maldives (FAIM) launched its website Jan 26 to honour India’s Republic Day and pledged new opportunities for cross-cultural dialogue.

Indian High Commissioner and FAIM patron Dynaneshwar Mulay affirmed close ties between the two nations.

“The Maldives is perhaps one of India’s closest partners. The Indian High Commission will always be there to help the Maldives.”

Highlighting India’s artistic traditions, FAIM personnel expressed a strong interest in supporting arts in the Maldives.

“The Maldives has very little internal support for the arts,” said a FAIM official.

“We would really like to see what we can provide,” he added.

India and the Maldives enjoy close partnerships in education, technology and transportation development. India recently passed a regulation allowing Maldivians visa-free entry for 30 days.