India and Malta discuss expanding scope of bilateral relations

Key facts

• Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary (West) Sibi George met Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malta Ian Borg in Valletta on Saturday.
• They discussed ways to strengthen ongoing cooperation and broaden the scope of India-Malta bilateral engagement.
• George also met Brigadier Clinton J. O'Neill, Commander of the Armed Forces of Malta, to explore increased defence and security cooperation.
• India recognised Malta's independence in 1964 and established diplomatic relations in 1965.
• India reopened its High Commission in Malta in January 2017; Malta opened its High Commission in New Delhi in 2007 and maintains Honorary Consuls in Kolkata, Chennai, and Mumbai.
• High-level visits include President R Venkataraman (1990), External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj (2015), and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu (2018).
• During Naidu's 2018 visit, three MoUs were signed on maritime cooperation, tourism cooperation, and cooperation between India's Foreign Service Institute and Malta's Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies.