2024-08-12 00:50:48
New Delhi: Maldives, once a vocal critic of India, has now toned down its rhetoric. Maldives President Mohammed Moizzu, who made numerous critical statements about India last year, now appears to be backtracking.
India’s Foreign Minister S Jaishankar is currently on a visit to the Maldives. The archipelago nation gave Jaishankar a warm welcome and signed several agreements with him, including one related to Unified Payment Interface (UPI).
UPI, the widely used mobile payment system in India, will now be available in the Maldives. This move is expected to have a positive impact on tourism, as tourists will be able to make immediate payments for goods and services.
Jaishankar acknowledged the significant impact UPI has had on digital transactions in India and expressed hope that it would have a similar effect in the Maldives.
Last year’s tensions
Last year, tensions between the two countries escalated when Maldives demanded the withdrawal of Indian Army personnel from three aviation platforms. This resulted in the replacement of Indian military personnel with civilian personnel.
UPI’s global reach
Developed by the National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI), UPI has already been adopted by several countries, including Bhutan, Nepal, Mauritius, Singapore, and the UAE. Maldives is now the latest addition to this list.