The Indian government for the first time has approved fixation of quota for supply of nine essential commodities to the Maldives for a period of three years. Over the years, India has been supplying various essential commodities to Maldives under a bilateral trade signed in 1981. The quota of those commodities were determined and reviewed on an annual basis. The recent announcement has been made to deal with the problem of uncertainty of the supply of those goods due to scarcity and delay in sanction of quota. It is worth noting that out of the nine commodities, quotas for three years have already been approved for seven items: sugar, eggs, potatoes, onions, wheat, flour, rice and stone aggregates.1

The Maldivian Cabinet has made it mandatory for the Bangladeshi workers to be employed in the Maldives, to obtain a Maldivian Work Visa before arrival in the Maldives. In order to deal with the increasing number of illegal expatriate workers in the country, the cabinet has also decided to find such workers in Maldives and send them back to their respective countries.2

• 1. “India approves 3-year quota for essential commodities to Maldives”, Haveeru, June 11, 2011 at http://www.haveeru.com.mv/english/details/36798.
• 2. “Obtaining Maldivian Work Visa before Arrival to be Made Mandatory for Bangladeshi Workers”, The President’s Office, Republic of Maldives, June 7, 2011 at http://www.presidencymaldives.gov.mv/Index.aspx?lid=11&dcid=5410.