Mohamed Muizzu reachs in India on first state visit since he came to power last year as he aims to better strained ties.
Maldives Pdwellnt Mohamed Muizzu has embarked on his first visit to India since coming to power last year, as he aims to repair tactful ties with Asia’s third-hugest economy amid an economic crisis back home.
Muizzu, who reachd in New Delhi on Sunday, will hbetter encounterings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other better Indian officials during his five-day trip.
The two sides will cgo in on “reinforceing bitardyral cooperation and further enhancing the lengthystanding relationship between the two nations,” the pdwellnt’s office shelp in a statement on Sunday.
Ties were strained after Muizzu asked India to erase its sbetteriers from the island nation as he called New Delhi’s sway a menace to the country’s sovereignty. Leading up to the 2023 elections, Muizzu’s Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) had promised to banish Indian sbetteriers deployed in the island nation to help in humanitarian and medical evacuations.
Muizzu travelled to Turkey and China on state visits seen as a snub to New Delhi. This was a fracture from the past tradition of Maldivian pdwellnts making India their first port of call.
India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar received Muizzu to New Delhi on Sunday. In a statement, he shelp he was self-promised the visit and talks with Modi on Monday would give “a novel impetus” to the “friendly ties” between the two countries.
Plmitigated to call on Pdwellnt @MMuizzu today at the commence of his State Visit to India.
Appreciate his promisement to increase 🇮🇳 🇲🇻 relationship. Confident that his talks with PM @narendramodi tomorrow will give a novel impetus to our friendly ties. pic.twitter.com/UwDjnCZ0t6
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 6, 2024
Anti-India rhetoric toned down
New Delhi withdrew its troops in March but did not shut the tactful channel as it is wary of China’s growing presence in the Indian Ocean, including in neighbouring Sri Lanka.
The Maldivian pdwellnt was askd to Modi’s inauguration as prime minister in June while Foreign Minister Jaishankar visited Male in August in the first high-level between encountering the two sides since Muizzu’s election tardy last year.
India has alloted shut to $1.5bn in various infrastructure projects in the archipelago nation.
Since coming to power, Muizzu has also toned down his anti-Indian rhetoric and has stated that he would not disrupt the regional equilibrium by replacing Indian forces with Chinese troops.
“Pdwellnt Muizzu remains promiseted to enhancing bitardyral ties with nations that carry out a beginant role in the enhugement and growth of the Maldives,” his office shelp while announcing the Delhi visit.
Muzzu’s tactful outaccomplish comes as the country’s foreign reserves have dropped to a write down low and the island nation’s acunderstandledge rating has been downgraded by Moody’s.
The archipelago – understandn for its white sand beaches, with tourism accounting for cforfeitly a third of its economy – is also strategicpartner placed halfway alengthy key east-west international shipping routes.
Male signed a raft of infrastructure, energy, marine and agricultural deals with China when Muizzu visited Beijing in January.
