Maldives President to visit India on Sunday

New Delhi, Oct 4: The President of the Republic of Maldives, Dr Mohamed Muizzu, will be on a State visit to India from October 6 to 10. This will be his first official bilateral visit to India as President.

Dr Muizzu previously visited India in June 2024 to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, and more recently, he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

During his upcoming visit, President Muizzu is scheduled to meet India’s President and hold high-level discussions with Prime Minister Modi on a range of issues, including bilateral, regional, and international matters of mutual interest.

Additionally, Dr. Muizzu will visit Mumbai and Bengaluru to participate in key business events, further solidifying economic ties between the two nations.

The Maldives is a critical maritime neighbour of India in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and holds a special place in Prime Minister Modi’s vision of ‘SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region) as well as India’s ‘Neighbourhood First Policy.’

This visit comes at a pivotal moment in India-Maldives relations, which experienced a period of strain following President Muizzu’s assumption of office. While his predecessor, Ibrahim Solih, maintained close ties with India, the Muizzu administration initially signalled a shift toward a more balanced foreign policy, placing greater emphasis on relations with China.

This raised concerns in New Delhi about the potential cooling of the historically strong relationship between India and the Maldives.

However, recent diplomatic engagements, including the visit of the External Affairs Minister to the Maldives, have helped smooth over tensions. President Muizzu’s upcoming visit is seen as a step toward restoring and strengthening bilateral cooperation. The visit is expected to enhance economic collaboration and deepen people-to-people ties, reaffirming the Maldives’ strategic importance in India’s regional framework.