Maldivian President Muizzu to arrive in India today on first bilateral visit

Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu departed from the Maldives for a four-day bilateral visit to India on Sunday. This will be Muizzu's second state visit to India in four months and his first bilateral visit.

During his visit to India from October 6 to October 10, Muizzu will meet President Droupadi Murmu and hold discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on bilateral, regional, and international issues of mutual interest, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

The Maldivian President will also visit Mumbai and Bengaluru, where he will be attending business events, it said.

"Maldives is India's key maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and holds a special place in Prime Minister's vision of ‘SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and India’s ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’," the Ministry said in a statement.

Notably, the Maldivian President visited New Delhi in June to attend PM Modi's swearing-in ceremony.

The ties between India and the Maldives got strained after Muizzu became the President of the Maldives. Notably, Muizzu rose to power based on his 'India Out' campaign, where he demanded the withdrawal of Indian troops and support staff from the Maldives.

The diplomatic row further intensified after some ministers in the Muizzu cabinet used derogatory language against PM Modi after he posted pictures of his trip to Lakshadweep. While the said ministers were removed from the cabinet, tourism in the Maldives took a hit as tourist footfall decreased from India.

However, both sides tried to repair ties after the Maldives acknowledged India’s pivotal role in its economic development, security, and infrastructure projects.