The Maldives has signed 20 agreements with Pakistan, including a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening bilateral military ties.
The agreements were signed during President Mohamed Muizzu’s ongoing state visit to Pakistan. In addition to the signing of these MoUs, official high-level talks between the two nations are scheduled to take place during the visit.
The agreements signed with Pakistan today cover a wide range of sectors, including:
- Cooperation in technology, cybersecurity, and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Efforts to combat narcotics
- Social protection initiatives
- Cooperation in the health sector and support for the Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA)
- Recruitment of healthcare professionals from Pakistan
- Bilateral military cooperation
- Maritime security cooperation
- Agricultural development
- Fisheries sector cooperation
- Technical and vocational training
- Educational cooperation
- Youth and sports development
- Expansion of air connectivity between the two nations
- Strengthening tourism ties
- Cooperation in arts, culture, and heritage
- An MoU between the police academies of both countries
- An MoU between the respective Civil Service Commissions
- An MoU between the Maldives Civil Service Commission and the Federal Public Service Commission of Pakistan
- An MoU between the State Trading Organisation (STO) and the Trading Corporation of Pakistan for trade in agricultural products
- Strengthening environmental cooperation
Muizzu assumed office on an "India Out" platform and initially announced a roadmap to distance the Maldives from India. However, following financial challenges, the President has since made efforts to mend and improve relations with New Delhi.
In October 2024, Muizzu visited India to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where both nations signed a comprehensive agreement outlining the future trajectory of Maldives-India relations.
As the Maldivian government signed these 20 MoUs with Pakistan today, the Indian government recently rolled over a 30 billion rupee currency swap for the Maldives. This facility was granted on the same day the Maldives settled a previous currency swap arrangement with India.
