This Article is From Aug 03, 2015

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar in Maldives on Final Leg of 'SAARC Yatra'

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar in Maldives on Final Leg of 'SAARC Yatra'

File photo of Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar.

Male: Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, who is on a two-day visit to the Maldives on the concluding leg of his 'SAARC yatra' aimed at firming up India's ties with the grouping's members, today held wide-ranging discussions with the Maldivian Vice President.

The Indian Foreign Secretary arrived at the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport in Male earlier in the day and was received by his Maldivian counterpart Dr Ali Naseer and Indian High Commissioner in the Maldives Rajeev Shahare.

"Completing the SAARC Yatra for a safe, secure and prosperous South Asia. FS Dr Jaishankar arrives in Maldives, today," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.

During his visit, the Foreign Secretary will call on President Abdulla Yameen, he said.

After his arrival, Mr Jaishankar called on Vice President Ahmed Adeeb and held wide-ranging discussions on regional and bilateral issues.

Mr Jaishankar will also hold talks on a host of issues with his counterpart Naseer.

With his visit to the Maldives, Mr Jaishankar rounds off his SAARC yatra. He had visited Bhutan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal earlier this year as part of the SAARC yatra.

Mr Jaishankar's 'SAARC yatra' is aimed at firming up India's ties with members of the grouping and reviewing regional and bilateral cooperation.

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) -- an economic and geopolitical grouping of eight countries located in South Asia - includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka as its members.
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