Maldives President Muizzu vows to further cement ‘long-standing’ ties with India

Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu pledged, during his current visit to India, that he won’t do anything that affects his country’s “long-standing relationship with India, particularly in terms of security interests”.

Muizzu said this in an interview as he formally began a five-day bilateral trip during which he was given a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Monday (October 7).

"We are confident that our engagements with other nations will not undermine India’s security interests," said the president who is known to be pro-China and who took power last year on the strength of an “India Out” election campaign.

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'Will build strong India ties'

Muizzu told The Times of India that the Maldives will continue to pursue strong and strategic relations with India as it is a "valued partner and friend" and that their relationship is "built on mutual respect and shared interests".

He said the Maldives will work together with India to ensure regional stability and security.

Asked about his decision to remove Indian troops from the island nation, the president said his actions were in line with the sentiments of most Maldivians.

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Visit to boost relations: Muizzu

"What I did is what the people of Maldives asked from me. The recent changes reflect our efforts to address domestic priorities. Our review of past agreements is aimed at ensuring they align with our national interests and contribute positively to regional stability," he explained.

Muizzu claimed that both the Maldives and India now have a better understanding of each other’s priorities and concerns.

"The relations between the Maldives and India have always been strong, and I am confident this visit will further strengthen it," he added.

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President Murmu welcomes Maldives President

India’s external affairs ministry said that Muizzu's visit would provide a significant boost to the "long-standing India-Maldives comprehensive bilateral partnership".

On Monday, the Maldivian leader was received by President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Muizzu met Modi later on Monday to discuss a range of bilateral, regional, and international issues.

Maldives’ financial crisis

Since Muizzu took office, diplomatic relations between India and the Maldives nosedived as he ordered the withdrawal of Indian troops from the Indian Ocean atoll nation.

But faced with a serious economic crisis, Muizzu has turned to India for badly-needed financial aid.

The Maldivian president is accompanied by First Lady Sajidha Mohamed and a Maldivian delegation. Muizzu later paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial at Rajghat.