Dubai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met President of Madagascar Andry Rajoelina on Wednesday and discussed ways to advance bilateral ties, an official statement said here.

Both the leaders met on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit in Dubai. Notably, this was their first meeting.

Modi and Rajoelina recognized the long-standing friendly relations and ancient geographical ties between the two countries.

They also discussed ways to advance bilateral ties and appreciated the close cooperation between the two countries in various multilateral fora, including the UN.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed India’s commitment to further strengthen India-Madagascar partnership and to Vision SAGAR – Security and Growth for All in the Region.

He conveyed that as a fellow developing country in the Indian Ocean Region, India will remain a committed partner in the developmental journey of Madagascar, the statement added.