Pakistan and the Maldives signed 20 memorandums of understanding on Wednesday, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Maldivian President Dr Mohamed Muizzu agreed to lift bilateral trade from $13.9 million to $200 million within two years. The ceremony at the Prime Minister's House in Islamabad capped day two of Muizzu's three-day state visit — the first by a Maldivian president to Pakistan in 11 years.
Shehbaz called the talks "very productive and very fruitful" and told a joint press stakeout: "There is no doubt that the two countries [will] keep on strengthening these relations for all time to come."
Quick Answer: Pakistan and the Maldives signed 20 MoUs on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, during President Mohamed Muizzu's three-day state visit to Islamabad — the first such visit in 11 years. Both leaders agreed to raise bilateral trade from $13.9 million to $200 million within two years, and expanded defence and maritime security cooperation.
What was signed: the 20 Pakistan Maldives MoUs
Shehbaz and Muizzu witnessed the exchange of the pre-signed documents. On technology: IT, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, digital skills and innovation. On security: defence ties, maritime security, narcotics-trafficking control and closer links between police academies. On trade: an agreement between the Maldives State Trading Organisation and the Trading Corporation of Pakistan to ease trade in agricultural commodities and food, plus fisheries and agriculture cooperation. On health: professional exchanges, linked drug regulators, and medical training for Maldivian students in Pakistani universities.
Shehbaz pledged to "personally work with [Muizzu] to translate these written MoUs into action with prompt decision-making and speedy implementation."
The $200 million trade target
The headline pledge is sharp: trade of just $13.9 million today — which Shehbaz called "just a fraction of our potential" — rising to $200 million within two years. "We will do our best jointly to raise this bilateral trade quantum from 13 million dollars to 200 million dollars in the next two years," the prime minister said.
Muizzu endorsed it word for word: "I fully endorse and agree to take our bilateral trade between our two countries from $13m to $200m in the next two years." (One Pakistani outlet reported the baseline as $130 million — an apparent typo; Dawn, the Tribune and the PM's own figure all say $13.9 million.) Roughly a fourteen-fold increase in 24 months is ambitious — and it will depend on Thursday's Pakistan-Maldives Business Forum turning handshakes into real contracts.
Why the visit matters beyond trade
The visit's weight goes beyond the paperwork. It coincides with the 60th anniversary of Pakistan-Maldives diplomatic relations, established in 1966, after an 11-year gap since the last Maldivian presidential visit. People-to-people goodwill runs deep: about 250 Pakistani doctors and paramedics serve in the Maldives, many Maldivian students study at Pakistani universities, and Pakistan built the Maldives' Parliament building and the School of Medicine in Malé — contributions President Asif Ali Zardari recalled on Wednesday, urging that goodwill become "greater trade, investment, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges."
Muizzu thanked Pakistan's backing on Palestine and said his country "remains firmly committed to playing a constructive and proactive role in revitalising SAARC."
Shehbaz briefed Muizzu on Kashmir, backing a UN-led peaceful resolution, and warned that India's decision to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance in April 2025 violated a binding treaty: "Legally binding treaties must be respected, and shared water resources must never be weaponised." He added that any violation concerning shared water resources would be regarded by Pakistan as "an act of war."
What happens next
Thursday's Pakistan-Maldives Business Forum must turn the $200 million target into actual deals. Longer-term, watch three benchmarks: direct flights; whether the defence and maritime-security MoUs produce visible joint activity in the Indian Ocean; and whether Pakistan delivers its pledge of 100,000 olive cuttings and 100,000 seeds toward the Maldives' five-million-tree plan. MoUs are easy to sign — the next six months will show which of the 20 actually move.
Key takeaways
- Pakistan and the Maldives signed 20 MoUs on October 21, 2026, covering defence, maritime security, IT, cybersecurity, AI, health, education, tourism and air connectivity.
- Both leaders agreed to raise bilateral trade from $13.9 million to $200 million within two years — roughly a fourteen-fold increase.
- Muizzu's visit is the first by a Maldivian president in 11 years and marks 60 years of diplomatic relations (established 1966).
- Pakistan pledged 100,000 olive cuttings and 100,000 seeds for the Maldives' five-million-tree plan, with a bilateral business forum on Thursday.
- Shehbaz briefed Muizzu on Kashmir and the Indus Waters Treaty, warning that weaponising water would be treated as "an act of war."
Frequently asked questions
Why is the Maldivian president's visit to Pakistan significant?
It is the first visit by a Maldivian president in 11 years and marks the 60th anniversary of Pakistan-Maldives ties, established in 1966. Muizzu arrived for a three-day state visit, received a guard of honour, and got an honorary doctorate from the International Islamic University Islamabad.
What do the 20 MoUs between Pakistan and the Maldives cover?
The pacts cover information technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, digital skills, narcotics control, health cooperation, health-professional recruitment, defence, maritime security, agriculture, fisheries, technical and vocational training, higher education, youth and sports, air connectivity, tourism, the environment, and arts, culture and heritage.
What is the Pakistan-Maldives $200 million trade target?
Current bilateral trade is $13.9 million — "just a fraction of our potential," in Shehbaz's words. Both leaders agreed to raise it to $200 million within two years, and Muizzu said he "fully endorse[s] and agree[s]" with the target. (One outlet's "$130 million" baseline is an apparent typo.)
Does the visit involve defence cooperation?
Yes. Among the 20 MoUs are agreements strengthening defence ties and maritime-security cooperation, and the talks also covered "strategic defence cooperation" plus training of Maldivian personnel in policing, defence, education and health in Pakistan. Both leaders witnessed the exchange of the documents at Wednesday's signing ceremony.
How are Pakistan and the Maldives already connected?
About 250 Pakistani doctors and paramedics serve in the Maldives, and many Maldivian students study in Pakistani universities, mostly in healthcare. Pakistan previously built the Maldives' Parliament building and the School of Medicine in Malé — contributions President Zardari recalled during his Wednesday meeting with Muizzu.
What is the Pakistan-Maldives Business Forum?
A bilateral business forum scheduled for Thursday, the final day of Muizzu's visit, will bring together business leaders, investors and innovators from both countries. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said he hopes the business-to-business engagements will produce "concrete trade and investment opportunities" — the practical test of the $200 million trade target.
By GlobalDeskNews Staff — October 21, 2026
Sources
- Dawn, October 21, 2026 — dawn.com/news/2038736
- The Express Tribune, October 21, 2026 — tribune.com.pk
- The Nation, October 21, 2026 — nation.com.pk
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