PM to visit Maldives for 17th SAARC Summit on November 10-11

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will lead the Indian delegation to the 17th SAARC Summit that will be hosted by the Maldives on November 10-11.

After the Summit, Dr Singh will also pay a bilateral visit to the Maldives on November 11-12 that is expected to inject new momentum and content to India's relations with this close and strategic neighbour.

The SAARC Summit will take place on Addu, the southernmost island of the Maldives, making it the first time that the eight-nation grouping will be meeting south of the equator, Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai told journalists during a briefing on the visit.

The Summit will be preceded by the Standing Committee meeting on November 7-8 and a meeting of the SAARC Council of Ministers at the level of Foreign Ministers on November 9.