Maldives’ U-Turn; Prez Muizzu Meets PM Modi at Hyderabad House in Delhi to Revamp Relations

New Delhi: Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a visit to India, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday at the Hyderabad House in Delhi in an attempt to tone down the soured bilateral ties.

Muizzu arrived in Delhi on Sunday evening on a four-day visit.

‘Taking forward India-Maldives special ties! PM @narendramodi warmly received President @MMuizzu of Maldives as the latter arrived at Hyderabad House. Extensive discussions on India-Maldives bilateral relations lie ahead,’ External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.

Muizzu was given a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhawan by President Droupadi Murmu in the presence of Prime Minister Modi. Muizzu was given a tri-services guard of honour before he drove down to Rajghat to offer his respects to Mahatma Gandhi.

This is Muizzu’s first state visit to India since he took charge in November 2023. He had visited Delhi in June to take part in the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Modi.

The ties between India and the Maldives were strained due to Muizzu’s pro-China leanings. Muizzu won the presidential election in 2023 on the ‘India out’ campaign and asked New Delhi to withdraw its military personnel posted in the archipelago nation by May this year. His ministers posted critical posts of Modi.

But Muizzu has now toned down his anti-India stance. He sacked ministers who were critical of the Indian PM.

It is Maldives’ attempt to please India as it is facing a serious economic downturn. India has extended vital budgetary support to the Maldives government with the rollover of a USD 50 million Treasury Bill for another year.