Muizzu Arrives in New Delhi to Mend Ties with India
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Oct 6: After coming to power riding on the “India Out” campaign, the Maldives president Mohamed Muizzu arrived in New Delhi on Sunday evening on his first bilateral visit in a bid to mend the strained relations between the two countries.
On his arrival with his wife Sajidha Mohamed, the Maldivian First Lady. Mr Muizzu was received at the airport by the minister of state for external affairs Kiriti Vardhan Singh and was later met by the external affairs minister S Jaishankar. “Pleased to call on President @MMuizzu today at the start of his State Visit to India. Appreciate his commitment to enhance relationship. Confident that his talks with PM @narendramodi tomorrow will give a new impetus to our friendly ties,” Jaishankar said in a post on social media site X.
His visit, which will last from October 6-10, has come upon the official invitation of President Droupadi Murmu. “President His Excellency Dr @MMuizzu and First Lady Madam Sajidha Mohamed arrive in New Delhi, India, for a state visit, at the invitation of Indian President, Her Excellency Droupadi Murmu. The official welcoming ceremony will take place tomorrow. The President and First Lady are accompanied by a high-level government delegation,” the Maldivian President’s Office said in a social media post.
Muizzu had said during the recent 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that he was planning to visit India as soon as possible and had praised the “very strong” bilateral relationship between the two countries.” Traditionally, nearly every Maldivian president made India their first foreign visit, but Muizzu broke with this convention by visiting Turkiye first, followed by China, after taking office. He, however, had attended the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this June.
During this visit, President Muizzu will hold meetings with President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior officials.
Since coming to power, Muizzu government took several steps that have been unconventional from the point of view of India-Maldives ties. He ran his whole presidential campaign on the lines of ‘India Out’. The removal of Indian troops from the country was the main election campaign of Mr Muizzu’s party which advocated for the removal of Indian military personnel stationed in the Maldives. At the time, Muizzu expressed concerns over foreign troops operating in the strategically important Indian Ocean archipelago. However, the aircraft remained and are being operated by a civilian Indian crew.
But lately Mr Muizzu has taken a reconciliatory tone after ties with India soured, leading to a diplomatic row. He also thanked India for financial assistance and called New Delhi, one of Male’s ‘closest’ allies. The visit signals a thaw in the previously strained ties, as the Maldives seeks to balance its foreign policy between regional powers India and China.
The relationship has shown signs of improvement in recent months, with both nations taking steps to bridge the diplomatic gap. In May, Maldivian foreign minister Moosa Zameer visited India, and external affairs minister Jaishankar reciprocated with a trip to the Maldives in August. India also helped the Maldives avoid a potential default on Islamic bond payments by extending the subscription of treasury bills worth $50 million for another year, a gesture that underlines India’s commitment to supporting its maritime neighbour.
Muizzu, known for his pro-China stance, has walked a tightrope in recent months, dialling down the rhetoric against India while maintaining his country’s strategic ties with Beijing. During a visit to the United States for the United Nations General Assembly last month, he clarified that the Maldives’ concerns were focused solely on the presence of foreign military personnel, not on any one particular nation.
“We have never been against any one country at any point. It’s not ‘India Out’. The Maldives faced a serious problem with foreign military presence on its soil,” Muizzu said during an interaction at Princeton University.
In a bid to assuage tensions with New Delhi, Muizzu took action against members of his government who had made derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Modi on social media. Two junior ministers who were suspended in January for their comments ultimately resigned from their posts last month, further signalling a shift in Muizzu’s approach towards India.
The state visit comes packed with key meetings and ceremonial events, beginning with a call by Jaishankar on Sunday evening at Hotel ITC Maurya, where Muizzu is staying. On Monday, Muizzu will be accorded a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhawan, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at Rajghat, a meeting with Prime Minister Modi, and the signing of agreements. These meetings are expected to focus on economic cooperation, maritime security, and addressing regional challenges.
Muizzu will also travel to Mumbai and Bengaluru during his visit, where he will engage with the business community and interact with the Maldivian diaspora. These visits aim to boost investment ties and deepen economic collaboration between the two nations.
