Indian investments safe in Maldives, says envoy

Indian investments in politically troubled island nation of the  Maldives are safe, the country's envoy to India said Friday.

"All investments and people are safe, it is our first priority to make Maldives the preferred destination for Indian investment. From our side we have all the safeguards, all the policies for making business more enterprising for India in the Maldives," High Commissioner to India Abdul Azeez Yoosuf told IANS on the sidelines of an event here.

"India is our very strong (economic) partner... they exist in all the areas in our life. We are entirely dependent on India for all our essential items like rice, sugar, white goods. We benefit immensely from India."

The envoy, however, declined to divulge any detail about the on-going political developments in the island country.

Major Indian companies like the Tata Group through their hospitality brand Taj Hotels and infrastructure giant GMR group have invested hugely in the Maldives.

The crisis in the Maldives began earlier this month as widespread demonstrations erupted against President Mohamed Nasheed, leading to him resigning Feb 7.

The former president, who claims he was forced to reign, Friday took to streets to protest his ouster even as India sent a special envoy to meet key political figures in the archipelago nation to push for a political deal on forming a broad-based national government of unity.