Mon May 12 07:36:08 UTC 2025: ## India Extends $50 Million Lifeline to Maldives
**New Delhi, May 12, 2025** – India has reaffirmed its commitment to the Maldives by extending a crucial $50 million financial lifeline. The State Bank of India (SBI) has rolled over a Maldivian government Treasury Bill for another year, marking a continuation of interest-free assistance provided since 2019.
This government-to-government arrangement, described as emergency financial aid, underscores India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy and its Vision MAHASAGAR initiative aimed at regional security and growth. The move comes in addition to India’s earlier extension of a special quota for essential commodity exports to the Maldives.
Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Khaleel expressed deep gratitude to India and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, stating that the timely assistance strengthens the bilateral relationship and supports ongoing fiscal reform efforts. The rollover of the Treasury Bill, he emphasized, will bolster the Maldives’ economic resilience.
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