No specific FTA proposal with Maldives but...: WATCH what India said about deal with Muizzu govt
Maldives' Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed, last week said India has initiated efforts to create a FTA between the two countries and deliberations are underway for achieving it
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India, on Thursday, said it has not received any “specific proposal” for a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Maldives, but will “give it a due consideration” if the government of the island nation expresses interest.
“No specific proposal for a bilateral FTA with the Maldives has been made by the Government of India. If the Government of Maldives expresses interest in having an FTA with India, we will give it due consideration,” Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson of the Ministry of External (MEA) said at a weekly media briefing on Wednesday in New Delhi.
#WATCH | Delhi: On Maldives FTA, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, "No specific proposal for a bilateral FTA with the Maldives has been made by the Government of India. If the Government of Maldives expresses interest in having an FTA with India, we will give it due… pic.twitter.com/9FBwZKfeqE
— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2024
A report by PTI mentioned that Maldives’ Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed, on Saturday (May 25) told at a press conference in Male that India has initiated efforts to create a FTA between the two countries and deliberations are underway for achieving it.
“They (India) want there to be a Free Trade Agreement with (the) Maldives, in addition to SAFTA (South Asian Free Trade Agreement),” Mohamed Saeed said.
The minister also said the Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has offered the opportunity to all countries for a free trade deal with the island nation, adding that his government aims to enter into agreements with as many countries as possible to provide ease in trade activities.
