India will make all effort to make sure that Maldives does not face a food shortage amid the ongoing pandemic.

Indian High Commissioner to Maldives, Sunjay Sudhir, made the statement in an exclusive interview to RaajjeTV following the evacuation of an additional 588 Indian nationals stranded in the Maldives.

Noting that India and Maldives are “old friends that enjoy a very deep, historical friendship” based on mutual respect and trust, the high commissioner said that they are happy to work with the Maldives in its Covid-19 response efforts, especially to be able to provide support “whether medical support or food aid support”.

He stressed that it is not just medical support that will be required in such trying times.

Sunjay said that India recently donated 580 tonnes of food aid to the island nation following a request from the government, and said that they only finished offloading these items on Thursday night. The food supply reached the Maldives on May 12.

Highlighting that India and Maldives will continue to collaborate, HC Sudhir said that India will make all efforts “to make sure that essential food continue to come to the Maldives in good supply and there is no shortage”.

While a third evacuation exercise of Indians stuck in Maldives was conducted on Friday, Sudhir also highlighted that the process has been “well planned” because of the given by the Maldivian government.