New Delhi, Jan 16 (UNI) The Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave its ex-post facto approval to the agreement on the facilitation of visa arrangements signed between India and Maldives in December, 2018.
Briefing the cabinet decisions to media, Railway Minister Piyush Goel said “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 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, 'the Minister added.
The cabinet meeting was chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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 PM Modi to Male in November, 2018 for the Inauguration ceremony of the newly elected President of Maldives, Mr Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, and the subsequent visit of the Maldivian President to India in December, 2018.
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