President thanks India for food aid, says it is particularly helpful amid outbreak

Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, on Tuesday, thanked the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India following the donation of 580 tonnes of food supplies.

The food supplies were delivered on board Indian navy ship INS Kesari on Tuesday morning.

Solih tweeted on Tuesday afternoon that India continued to prove to be a true friend to Maldives amid the COVID-19 crisis.

“India’s recent gift of essential food supplies is particularly helpful during these challenging times,” said Solih.

He thanked Modi and the people of India for their "friendship and generosity".

The food supplies donated by India includes:

• 200 tonnes of rice
• 140 tonnes of corn flour
• 90 tonnes of sugar
• 120 tonnes of yellow lentils
• 26 tonnes of onion
• 14 tonnes of potato

The food aid was delivered under India’s Mission Sagar initiative - inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of SAGAR - Security and Growth for All in the Region.

Maldives’ was INS Kesari’s first destination. The ship will next travel to other Indian Ocean island nations Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles to deliver medicine.

Indian High Commission described the food aid as a Ramadan gift from the people of India to the people of Maldives which symbolizes the close friendship between the two countries.