Maldives invites PM Narendra Modi to address their Parliament

During his visit to the country on June 7-8, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the Parliament’s sitting house in the Maldives–People’s Majlis.

Reciprocating the importance given to this archipelago nation by India, Maldives decided to honor the Indian Prime Minister by having him address the Parliament.

The Majlis took up the matter on Wednesday and motion was passed with consensus. As a part of a process, if any foreign leader addresses the country’s Parliament, it has to be approved by the MPs.

Maldives and Pakistan are only two South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations where Prime Minister Modi did not pay a state visit in his first term.

Although PM Modi had visited the Maldives to attend the oath-taking ceremony of President Solih last year after he ousted the China-backed Yameen administration in the presidential polls.

Experts have called it a major strategic move as PM Modi choose a predominantly Muslim country for his first foreign visit which is geo-strategically also a critical neighbourhood nation to India.

Bhutan was the first foreign country PM Modi visited in his first term after taking charge as Prime Minister in 2014.