Modi bats for making Indo-Pacific a region for shared prosperity

India underscored its firm commitment to make the strategic Indo-Pacific an area for shared economic growth as Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday addressed the Maldivian Parliament, amidst China flexing its muscles in the region.

Modi arrived in the South Asian archipelago nation on Saturday to strengthen the bilateral ties on his first foreign visit since being elected to a second term, reflecting the importance India attaches to its 'Neighbourhood First' policy.

"The Indo-Pacific area is our lifeline and also the highway to trade. This is the key to our shared future in every sense," the prime minister said.

Modi underlined that at the Shangri-La Dialogue forum in Singapore last June, he had stressed on working together "to create openness, integration and balance" in the Indo-Pacific region.

India, the US and several other world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China's rising military maneuvering in the region.

Terming Maldives "a marine neighbour" and a "friend", Modi said, "There is no small, big, weak and powerful in friends. The foundation of peaceful and prosperous neighbourhood rests on trust, goodwill and cooperation."

China has been trying to expand its military presence in the Indo-Pacific, which is a biogeographic region, comprising the Indian Ocean and the western and central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea.

China claims almost all of the South China Sea. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the sea.

In a veiled reference to Chinese predatory lending, Modi said, "India has always shared its achievements with the world. India's development partnership is to empower people, not to weaken them and neither to increase their (partner countries) dependence on us or to put an impossible burden of debt on the shoulders of future generations."

'India will help in conservation of Maldives' Friday Mosque'

PM Modi said that India will contribute to the conservation of Maldives' iconic Friday Mosque, a historic landmark made up of coral stones. "There is no such mosque elsewhere in the world like this historical mosque made up of coral," Modi said.

He said he was happy that the Maldives was working towards sustainable development and has become a part of the International Solar Alliance.

Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih thanked the Indian side for their offer to carry out restoration of the mosque by the Archaeological Survey of India under an Indian grant.

He also appreciated the recent visit of senior scientists of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and their ongoing cooperation with the Maldivian counterparts, a statement said.

Built in 1658, Friday Mosque is one of the oldest and most ornate mosques in the city of Male in Kaafu Atoll. The mosque was added to the tentative UNESCO World Heritage cultural list in 2008 as unique examples of sea-culture architecture.

Ferry service to connect India and Maldives

India and the Maldives on Saturday agreed to launch a ferry service connecting the two countries as PM Modi and President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih emphasised the need to improve connectivity.

The two leaders have directed officials to expeditiously work towards starting a regular passenger-cum-cargo ferry service between Kerala's Kochi and the Maldivian capital Male via Kulhudhuffushi atoll.

The distance between Kochi and Male is about 700 kms, and between Kochi and Kulhudhuffushi atoll is 500 kms.

A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed between the two sides for the establishment of passenger and cargo services by sea.