Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on Monday held wide-ranging discussions with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, primarily aimed at consolidating friendly and cooperative bilateral ties.
On a six-day official visit at the invitation of President A P J Abdul Kalam, Gayoom and Dr Singh exchanged views on important regional and global issues of mutual concern.
The Indian delegation included External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh, National Security Adviser M K Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran.
Gayoom
will meet with Kalam, Natwar Singh and Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
Leader of the Opposition Lal Kishenchand Advani will call on Gayoom on Wednesday before he leaves for Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram.
The Ministry of External Affairs said India and Maldives enjoy close and cordial relations. India has played an active
and constructive role in the field of public health and human resource development in Maldives.
Maldives has appreciated India's prompt and effective assistance during the recent tsunami disaster.
