Maldives President Ibrahim Solih is likely to make his first overseas trip in office to India on the first anniversary of his swearing-in on December 17. Deals on immediate economic assistance to tide over a potential Chinese debt crisis, Dornier aircraft being gifted are being worked out. On his first visit as current Foreign Minister, Abdulla Shahid tells SNI’s Associate Editor an estimated $ 3.2 billion in Chinese debt has to worked out, the Free Trade Agreement could be reviewed and India’s helicopters are not a backdoor entry for the military. He added, the Maldives will not get entangled in International tension in the Indian ocean, a Chinese port is out of the question and Male’ will choose New Delhi’s gift of a Dornier over a loan for the aircraft that Pakistan has offered.
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