ISLAMABAD — Pakistan and the Maldives on Wednesday signed a landmark technology agreement covering artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital skills and innovation, as Maldivian President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s three-day state visit produced 20 cooperation agreements spanning defence, trade, health and education.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Muizzu witnessed the signing ceremony at the Prime Minister’s House, where representatives of both sides exchanged the documents. The Pakistan Maldives technology MoU places digital development at the centre of the two countries’ renewed engagement, creating a formal framework for collaboration in emerging technologies.
What the Pakistan Maldives technology MoU covers
The agreement identifies information technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, digital skills and innovation as priority areas for cooperation. It creates a basis for exchanging technical expertise, sharing knowledge and building institutional capacity on both sides — a significant step for two countries working to modernise public services and strengthen digital security.
According to reporting in The News, PM Shehbaz said in a post on X that Pakistan would provide technical assistance to the Maldives in the information technology sector. Pakistan has also offered support as the Maldives expands its data centre infrastructure, opening the door for Pakistani IT companies and experts to back the island nation’s digital ambitions.
The technology-focused deal is the standout of a much wider package. The Pakistan Maldives technology MoU stops short of naming individual projects, funding commitments or timelines — as CW Pakistan notes, its practical impact will depend on how both sides translate the framework into concrete programmes. The other agreements exchanged on Wednesday span defence, maritime security, health, education, social protection, agriculture, fisheries, tourism, air connectivity and environmental protection.
$200m trade target in two years
Alongside the signing of the Pakistan Maldives technology MoU, PM Shehbaz announced that the two countries aim to expand bilateral trade to $200 million within two years, up sharply from the current level of around $13 million.
To push commercial engagement, the Maldives State Trading Organisation and the Trading Corporation of Pakistan signed an MoU on trade in agricultural commodities, food and other products. A Pakistan-Maldives Business Forum is being held during the visit to connect the business communities of both countries, and officials said business-to-business engagement should yield concrete trade and investment opportunities.
The trade target is the most ambitious economic commitment to emerge from the visit, signalling that both capitals want to convert six decades of diplomatic goodwill into measurable commerce.
A historic visit: first in 11 years
President Muizzu’s visit, which began on October 20 and runs until October 23, is the first by a Maldivian head of state to Pakistan in 11 years — the last was in 2015 under then-president Abdulla Yameen. It coincides with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1966.
Muizzu, accompanied by First Lady Sajidha Mohamed and a high-level delegation of cabinet ministers and senior officials, was accorded a guard of honour upon arrival at the PM House on Wednesday morning. The national anthems of both countries were played as the two leaders stood at the salute dais, after which they introduced their delegations and moved into one-on-one and delegation-level talks.
President Muizzu is also scheduled to meet President Asif Ali Zardari, who will host a state banquet in his honour, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has already called on the visiting president, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to its longstanding fraternal relations with the Maldives.
Other agreements signed
Beyond the headline Pakistan Maldives technology MoU, the two sides signed agreements on health cooperation, the recruitment of health professionals, social protection, combating illicit trafficking and narcotics, technical and vocational education, youth and sports development, tourism, and arts, culture and heritage.
Several MoUs were concluded between specific institutions: the Maldives Police Service’s National College of Policy and Law Enforcement and Pakistan’s National Police Academy in Islamabad; the Civil Service Commission of the Maldives with Pakistan’s Federal Public Service Commission and the Civil Service Academy; and the Maldives Food and Drug Authority with Pakistan’s Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan.
The two sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation in defence ties and maritime security — a notable signal in a region where sea lanes and island security matter to both capitals.
Why it matters
For Pakistan, the visit — and the Pakistan Maldives technology MoU in particular — showcases its growing pitch as a regional technology partner. With IT exports climbing and Pakistani firms active across the Gulf and South Asia, the agreement gives Islamabad a new showcase for its digital expertise. As detailed by CW Pakistan, the MoU places digital development among the priorities of the renewed bilateral engagement.
For the Maldives, the Pakistan Maldives technology MoU brings a willing partner for its digital transformation at a moment when both countries are celebrating 60 years of ties. The two leaders also discussed regional and international developments of mutual interest, and Pakistan and the Maldives share close ties rooted in shared faith, mutual respect and longstanding goodwill, with cooperation continuing at regional and international forums.
Sources: The News, CW Pakistan
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