Narendra Modi, who is in Maldives for his first official foreign visit since his re-election as prime minister, on Saturday addressed the Maldivian Parliament, People’s Majlis. In an apparent reference to Pakistan, Modi said state-sponsored terrorism is the biggest danger of our times that needs to be tackled.
“Terrorism is the great challenge of our time,” he said in his address. “The terrorists neither have their own banks nor do they have a factory of arms. Yet they never run short of money or arms. Where do they find it all? Who gives them these perks? State-sponsored terrorism remains the biggest threat.”
Modi also said that it is unfortunate that people still are still making distinctions between a “good terrorist and a bad terrorist”. He said that tackling terrorism and radicalisation is the biggest challenge of leaders in the world.
Modi urged the world leaders to unite for combating terrorism. “Water is now rising above the head,” he said. “Combating terrorism and radicalisation is the most accurate test of the leadership in the world.”
The prime minister also pointed out that the threat to environment is another challenge. He said “drying rivers and uncertainty about the weather” are affecting farmers. “Melting glaciers and rising sea levels have become a threat to countries like the Maldives,” he said. “Maldives has started several initiatives for sustainable development. I am glad that Maldives has joined the international solar alliance.”
Modi announced that India will help out Maldives in its bid to become a country that successfully uses sustainable energy. He said with India’s help, streets in the Maldivian capital of Male will have “2,500 LED street lights and 2 lakh LED bulbs”.
This is an Indian prime minister’s first bilateral visit to Maldives since 2011. “It is an honour to be among all of you during your first session ever since former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed was elected as Parliament Speaker,” Modi said at the beginning his address. He also said that the decision to invite him to the Maldives Parliament has touched the hearts of Indians.
“It is a happy day for all Maldivians. A great and dear friend of ours PM Narendra Modi is visiting these shores. It is my great honour to welcome the PM to the Maldives, his first visit overseas since assuming office for a second term,” Solih posted on Twitter.
Before Modi addressed the People’s Majlis, he was conferred with “The Most Honourable Order of the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddeen” – the highest honour in Maldives – at an event.
The Indian Prime Minister and Solih also signed six agreements to strengthen ties between India and Maldives on key areas such as defence and maritime.
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