New Delhi. The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its ex-post facto approval to the Agreement on the facilitation of visa arrangements signed between India and Maldives in December, 2018.

The Visa Facilitation Agreement signed during the visit of Maldivian President to India aims to further deepen people to people exchanges between the two countries making it easier for Maldivian and India nationals to travel to each others’ countries for tourism, medical treatment, education as well as business and employment.

The Agreement provides for 90-day visa free travel for tourism, medical and limited business purpose and also provides for easy conversion of such visa free entry to medical visa as well as visas for dependents of students and those pursuing employment in each other’s territories.

India and Maldives share time tested and traditional bonds of friendship. Close people to people contacts constitute the foundation of special bilateral relation between India and Maldives, which received a positive momentum with the visit of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi to Male in November, 2018 for the Inauguration ceremony of the newly elected President of Maldives, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, and the subsequent visit of the Maldivian President to India in December, 2018.