President Droupadi Murmu has said that Maldives is a major partner and close friend of India in the Indian Ocean Region and the peoples of the two countries have enjoyed strong cultural, economic and trade ties for centuries. Welcoming President of Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih at Rashtrapati Bhavan this evening, Ms Murmu said, Maldives has a special place in India's 'neighbourhood first policy'. She was happy to note that India's need-based financial and development assistance is supporting Maldives government's development priorities. <br />'' <br />'' The President said, the rapid expansion of India-Maldives development cooperation, defence and security initiatives, economic ties and people-to-people contact augurs well for India's relationship with the Government and people of Maldives. She appreciated the courage and perseverance of the government and people of Maldives during the COVID-19 outbreak. She was happy to note that the strong India-Maldives cooperation during the pandemic has been lauded as a model for the entire region. The President noted that capacity building has emerged as a major pillar in the India-Maldives partnership. She expressed confidence that MoUs signed during this visit will further strengthen capacity building initiatives in Maldives. The President said, she is happy to receive a close friend of India and an eminent leader under whose leadership Maldives has emerged as a stable and prosperous nation.