Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has accepted an invitation to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony in New Delhi on Sunday, according to media reports.
Edition.mv, citing its Dhivehi sister-publication Mihaaru News, revealed that President Muizzu will depart for New Delhi on Saturday, accompanied by several senior government officials. However, there has been no official confirmation from the Maldives President's Office regarding Muizzu's first official visit to India.
Muizzu congratulated Modi on Wednesday, and expressed his eagerness to collaborate with the Indian prime minister to enhance bilateral relations.
“Congratulations to Prime Minister @narendramodi and the BJP and BJP-led NDA, on their success in the 2024 Indian General Election, securing a third consecutive term. I look forward to working together to advance our shared interests for mutual prosperity and stability,” Muizzu posted on X.
This will be President Muizzu's inaugural visit to India since taking office on November 17 last year. Unlike his predecessors, who prioritized New Delhi as their first official destination, Muizzu, who is known to be pro-China and ran India-Out campaign during Maldives presidential elections, initially traveled to Turkiye and later to China for his first state visit in January.
Immediately after his inauguration, Muizzu demanded the withdrawal of approximately 88 Indian military personnel from the Maldives, which strained bilateral relations. These personnel were replaced by civilians from India by the May 10 deadline set by Muizzu.
The swearing-in ceremony is expected to include leaders from neighboring countries such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Mauritius, and Seychelles, in line with India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.
