In a dramatic departure from his previous 'India Out' stand, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu on Friday referred to India as his country's "closest and most trusted partner," as Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Male.
Muizzu and Modi met at the Presidential Office as part of the Indian Prime Minister’s two-day state trip to the Maldives. The Maldivian leader praised India's role as a dependable partner, especially in times of crisis, acknowledging New Delhi’s unwavering support over the years.
"India has been the Maldives's closest and most trusted friend for a long time. Our cooperation extends across several areas, from security and trade to health, education and more, to the daily lives of our people," Muizzu said in the meeting.
He further spoke of a wide range of cooperation areas, including infrastructure development, climate action, health, capacity building, and bilateral development projects.
Prime Minister Modi reiterated India's willingness to help the Maldives according to the island nation's priorities and requirements, stressing India's overall commitment to regional stability and prosperity in the Indian Ocean.
The two leaders took stock of achievements under the India-Maldives Joint Vision for a Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership. PM Modi reaffirmed India's commitment to deepening engagement under the 'Neighbourhood First' and Vision MAHASAGAR policies.
There was a mutual interest both sides articulated in further cooperation in maritime security and defence, but with an accent on continued interaction under the Colombo Security Conclave. The two leaders also reviewed the economic relationship, Modi highlighting the possibilities of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and Bilateral Investment Treaty to open new economic opportunities for both nations.
Emphasizing the use of digital innovation in future collaboration, PM Modi greeted recent news on UPI uptake, RuPay card acceptance, and local currency trading—specifically in the hospitality industry. These digital connectivities, he added, enhance the strong people-to-people ties between the two nations even further.
As Global South partners, both leaders affirmed mutual commitment to addressing common challenges of climate change, the development of renewable energy, disaster readiness, and enhanced weather science. Modi also expressed appreciation to Muizzu for strongly condemning the Pahalgam terror attack and for the support of the Maldives to India in its campaign against terrorism.
India and the Maldives signed six Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) on all important sectors such as fisheries and aquaculture, meteorology, digital public infrastructure, UPI, Indian pharmacopoeia, and concessional Line of Credit (LoC) during the visit.
A fresh Line of Credit of ₹4,850 crores (around $550 million) was provided to help finance the Maldives' development and infrastructure requirements. A separate Amendatory Agreement was also signed to facilitate the Maldives' annual debt repayment obligation under existing LoCs, lowering the burden from $51 million to $29 million.
The two sides also shared the Terms of Reference for the proposed Free Trade Agreement and symbolically launched a number of development projects—such as a roads and drainage project in Addu City and six High Impact Community Development Projects in other parts of the country.
As part of India's ongoing development assistance, PM Modi transferred 3,300 social housing units and 72 vehicles for operation by the Maldives National Defence Force and immigration officials.
He also donated two Aarogya Maitri Health Cube (BHISHM) units to the Maldivian government. The emergency medical systems are portable and can handle up to 200 casualties and provide support to a team of six doctors for 72 hours, providing crucial assistance in disaster or crisis situations.
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