Speaking on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York, Muizzu said, “I am planning to visit (India) as soon as possible…We have a very strong bilateral relationship.”

 

If the visit takes place, it will mark Muizzu’s second trip to India, following his visit in June for the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Traditionally, Maldivian Presidents have made India their first foreign destination, but Muizzu broke this pattern by visiting Turkiye and China after assuming office earlier this year.

 

Muizzu’s government has taken a different approach to India-Maldives ties. His presidential campaign prominently featured the ‘India Out’ agenda, advocating for the removal of Indian troops from Maldivian soil. Following his election, the Maldives government did not renew the Hydrographic Survey agreement with India and formally requested the withdrawal of Indian troops, a process completed in May.

 

Tensions between New Delhi and Male escalated further after three Maldivian deputy ministers made derogatory remarks about Prime Minister Modi. These comments led to a diplomatic rift, prompting India to summon the Maldivian envoy in protest. The deputy ministers were suspended, though they remain on paid suspension.

 

The Maldives also witnessed a drop in Indian tourists earlier this year, with a 33% decline compared to the previous year, according to data from the Maldives Tourism Ministry.

 

In August, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visited the Maldives, where he and his Maldivian counterpart, Moosa Zameer, inaugurated development projects and exchanged Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in Male. Despite the previous diplomatic strains, President Muizzu has expressed appreciation for India’s support in easing the Maldives’ debt repayment and has voiced optimism about further strengthening ties, potentially through a future free trade agreement.

 

(ANI)