Why in News?

• India has supplied 6.2 tonnes of essential medicines to Maldives, under Operation named “Sanjeevani” as assistance in the fight against COVID 19.

Key Points:

• The medicines include influenza vaccines, antiviral drugs such as lopinavir and ritonavir among others as well as consumables such as catheters, nebulisers, urine bags and infant feeding tubes.
• It has to be noted that Lopinavir and ritonavir have been used to treat patients with COVID-19 in some countries.
• The medicines were delivered by an Hercules C-130J-30 aircraft of Indian Air Force.
• India has also dispatched a 14-member Army medical team to Maldives to set up a viral testing lab there and gifted 5.5 tonne of essential medicines.

Relations between the Two Countries:

• Historical Aspect:
• India and Maldives share ethnic, linguistic, cultural, religious and commercial links.
• India was among the first to recognize Maldives after its independence in 1965 and later established its mission at Male in 1972.
• Defence:
• ‘Ekuverin’ is a joint military exercise between India and Maldives.
• India provides the largest number of training opportunities for Maldivian National Defence Force (MNDF), meeting around 70% of their Defence Training Requirements.
• Disaster Management:
• The Government of India has provided large-scale assistance to Maldives in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and during the 2014 Male water crisis.
• Trade and Tourism:
• India is Maldives’ 4^th largest trade partner after UAE, China and Singapore. In 2018, India was the 5^th largest source of tourist arrivals in Maldives.
• The Maldivian economy is heavily dependent on its tourism sector, which is the major source of foreign exchange earnings and Government Revenue.

India’s Assistance given to Maldives Previously:

• Operation Cactus: The Indian Armed Forces have helped the government of Maldives in the neutralization of the coup attempt. India has helped Maldives after the tsunami.
• ‘Operation Neer’: India supplied drinking water to Maldives to deal with the drinking Water Crisis.
• The Two Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) given by India to the Maldivian armed forces have been used in saving Maldivian lives.