A massive water and sanitation project costing $110 million funded by India was delivered to the Maldives on Saturday by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The project is spread across 28 islands and accounts for 7 per cent of the archipelagic nation’s population.
During an occasion at President Mohammad Muizzu’s office, Jaishankar, who is on a three-day official visit, essentially inaugurated the projects and was greeted with enthusiastic thanks from both him and his counterpart. The Water and Sanitation Projects in 28 islands, commissioned under the Indian Line of Credit Facility by the Exim Bank of India, were described by Jaishankar as the “largest climate adaptation implemented in Maldives with international collaboration.” “It is also significant to note that the completion of this project has supplemented the Government of Maldives endeavours in reaching its Sustainable Development Goals by establishing climate resilient and cost-effective water and sewerage systems,” Jaishankar said.
“It was a pleasure to meet @DrSJaishankar today and join him in the official handover of water and sewerage projects in 28 islands of the Maldives,” Muizzu posted on X after the ceremony. “I thank the Government of India, especially Prime Minister @narendramodi for always supporting the Maldives. Our enduring partnership continues to strengthen, bringing our nations closer through cooperation in security, development, and cultural exchange. Together, we build a brighter, more prosperous future for the region,” he added.
Dr. Abdulla Muththalib, the Minister of Construction and Infrastructure of the Maldives, whose ministry oversaw the project’s implementation, was also in attendance.
During his speech, Muizzu stated that India has consistently been a valuable partner and one of the closest allies, helping the Maldives whenever they have needed it. He emphasised how these measures will strengthen local economies, bring about major economic gains, and together advance the prosperity of the country. Maldives’ Minister for Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer said in a post on X that he was “deeply grateful” to India for its “steadfast partnership and enduring friendship” while the Maldives’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs described it as a “testament to enduring friendship & cooperation” in a separate post on X.
A statement from President Muizzu’s office said, “With the inauguration of 28 facilities today, 28,298 of the intended beneficiaries have now received these essential services, covering seven per cent of the total population of the Maldives.” During the ceremony, Jaishankar officially handed to Minister Zameer the completed projects, including water supply facilities on 22 islands, sewerage facilities on two islands, and combined water supply and sewerage facilities on four islands, a statement from the office of President Muizzu said.
The project will provide safe drinking water to many islands and introduce a sewerage system in several other islands and has directly impacted the lives of over 28,000 Maldivians, a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. “The bedrock of our partnership is the mutual benefit of our peoples. This is manifested in diverse sectors of our cooperation – health, education, large infrastructure development, defence, maritime, agriculture, banking and adapting for climate resilience. India endeavours to expand this list to move forward and harness the bilateral multifaceted partnership to realise the aspirations of the people of the two countries,” Jaishankar added.
According to the MEA release, Jaishankar stated that India’s development partnership is a prudent combination of grants, loans, budgetary support, capacity building, and training assistance, determined by the needs and priorities of the people and the Government of the Maldives. Jaishankar further emphasised India’s initiatives to broaden the goals and advantages of development cooperation.
“We are mindful of the challenges posed by climate change, especially, for small island developing states such as the Maldives,” which are even more vulnerable to the vagaries of rising sea levels, he said.
“One of the immediate concerns is the availability and access of freshwater resources,” he said and emphasised how it has been India’s objective to provide ecologically sustainable low-cost solutions to her development partners.
“The low-cost solutions mean the development partners are not only able to access potable water but also have the capability to treat sewage, thereby, protecting the delicate ecology of these islands and atolls,” Jaishankar said.
He said the projects unveiled in the Maldives find resonance in India’s own initiatives of ‘Har Ghar Jal’ and ‘Swachha Bharat’ i.e. ‘Water to Every Home’ and ‘Clean India.’ The MEA release said that the buildings (under the project) are also equipped with solar energy providing support to the island grids and with a total funding of USD 110 million, is the largest climate adaptation implemented in Maldives with international collaboration.
“I am sure that this will go a long way in improving the lives of the women in these islands who bear the primary burden of fetching clean water,” Jaishankar said.
India-Maldives development cooperation embodies the motto of our partnership – ‘Imagined by Maldives, Delivered by India,’ Jaishankar said.
Addressing President Muizzu, Jaishankar said that “our joint efforts, our joint activities and our shared vision” will form an important milestone in the journey of our two nations together.
Much later in the day, Maldives’ Ministry of Construction and Infrastructure said the handing over of the projects “marks a significant milestone” and that it “underscores the strong bilateral relationship between the two nations.” After the event at the President’s office, Jaishankar, Muththalib and Zameer went to review the progress of another India-funded project, the Greater Male’ Connectivity – Male’ to Thilafushi Link Project.
“This is one of the pivotal infrastructure projects of our cooperation, linked to the economic prosperity of the country,” Zameer said in a post on X.
(with inputs from PTI)
