Male [Maldives], July 27 (ANI): Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed on Saturday expressed optimism about the future of India-Maldives relations, stating that both countries will continue to have good relations regardless of the government in power.

He made these remarks while speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the Maldives' 60th Independence Day celebrations, which Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended.

'India has maintained good relations with us and whatever the government, I am sure we are going to have a very bright future as well,' he said.

Nasheed mentioned that PM Modi enjoyed the cultural events and noticed similarities between Indian and Maldivian cultures.

'It's a great honour that the Prime Minister visited us for our 60th Independence Day. The Prime Minister has visited us many times, but this time, the Prime Minister took the time to spend several hours with us, and I'm sure that schoolchildren would be delighted, the Maldives Cadet Corps, as well as all the traditional and cultural events here. The Prime Minister enjoyed it immensely. He did mention it to us, and also the Prime Minister did find the similarities with our culture and what is also in India,' he said.

Nasheed also highlighted India's past assistance to the Maldives, particularly during times of financial difficulty. He emphasized the importance of good relations with India for the Maldives' safety, security, and prosperity.

During their meeting, Nasheed briefed PM Modi on his work with the Climate Vulnerable Forum, and the Prime Minister showed interest in the Maldives' environmental concerns.

'The meeting was very fruitful, and I'm very glad that I had the opportunity to call upon the Prime Minister. We spoke about the environment. I work for the Climate Vulnerable Forum, so I briefed the Prime Minister on the work that I am doing at the Vulnerable Forum. The Prime Minister was, of course, interested in details about matters of the Maldives and how we are doing. We had a good discussion,' he said.

Nasheed expressed hope that the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the Maldives would be signed soon, citing the potential benefits of India's credit line and assistance in high-impact community projects.

'I hope the free trade agreement is quickly negotiated and signed. The credit line is going to help us, but India in past, also assisted us in high-impact small projects. I think these projects have a very good impact on local communities and have assisted our prosperity. Of course, the credit line and the bigger projects are going to help us,' he said.

The meeting between Nasheed and PM Modi comes amid efforts to strengthen India-Maldives relations. PM Modi's visit to the Maldives marked a significant moment in bilateral ties, with several agreements signed across various sectors, including infrastructure, technology, and climate change. (ANI)