External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday paid homage to Sultan Mohamed Thakururufaanu, a revered 16th-century national hero of the Maldives, Malé at his memorial centre, noting that his struggle was a reminder of the "shared history" between India and the archipelagic state.
Jaishankar is on a three-day visit to the Maldives and Sri Lanka to further expand bilateral engagement with the two key maritime neighbours of India.
Thakururufaanu ruled the Maldives islands between 1573 to 1585. He was known for fighting the Portuguese, who ruled the Maldives from 1558 to 1573.
His victory is commemorated in the Maldives as Qaumee Dhuvas or National Day.
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He was also the first Maldivian King to form the Lashkaru (a unified military body). "Paid homage to Sultan Mohamed Thakururufaanu, a revered national hero of the Maldives at his Memorial Centre," Jaishankar said in a tweet.
"His struggle is a reminder of a shared history and a continuing commitment to national development," he wrote.
On Wednesday, Jaishankar and Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih jointly participated in the groundbreaking ceremony of the Hanimaadhoo international airport redevelopment project, terming it a "historic milestone" in the robust India-Maldives development partnership.
Jaishankar said the flagship Greater Malé Connectivity Project was also progressing well, noting that New Delhi was committed to the timely implementation of this prestigious project.
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"The social housing projects in Male and drinking water and sanitation projects on 34 islands are also doing well and many are nearing completion," he said.
Besides these large infrastructure projects, India has also partnered with the Maldives to undertake smaller but high-impact projects in Maldives.
"When it comes to people-to-people ties and broadening of economic engagement, we have been doing exceptionally well in the last few years. Since 2020, India has annually contributed the maximum number of tourists to the Maldives and we are truly proud of that," Jaishankar said.
The Maldives and Sri Lanka are India's key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean Region and occupy a special place in the Prime Minister's vision of 'SAGAR' (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and 'Neighbourhood First'.
