Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu is on a five-day (October 6-10) state visit to India following an official invitation extended by his Indian counterpart Droupadi Murmu, an official said.
After assuming office, this will be Muizzu’s first bilateral visit, during which he is scheduled to hold high-level meetings with the President, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior officials of the Indian government.
The President’s Office (Maldives) stated: “President Dr Muizzu remains committed to enhancing bilateral ties with nations that play a crucial role in the development and growth of the Maldives, ensuring a dynamic and proactive foreign policy for the nation… Discussions will focus on strengthening bilateral cooperation and further enhancing the longstanding relationship between the two nations.”
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the Maldives President, accompanied by a high-level delegation from his country, will also be visiting Mumbai and Bengaluru, where he will have business engagements.
“The visit signifies the importance India attaches to its relations with Maldives. It is expected to lend further momentum to cooperation and robust people-to-people ties between the two countries,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during a weekly media briefing.
Even as the relationship between the two countries became strained last year, India remained a key provider of development assistance to the island nation with several projects funded by India benefitting the lives of thousands of people in the country.
Muizzu’s visit is considered important as India and Maldives experienced a decline in bilateral relations after he assumed office in 2023 on the plank of his ‘India Out’ election campaigning. After taking office in November 2023, Muizzu requested India to withdraw its military personnel from his country.
