Male proposed a visit to New Delhi by President Muizzu in November, claim sources
New Delhi: Amidst simmering tensions between India and the Maldives, it has come to light that the Maldivian government, even while demanding the withdrawal of Indian troops, discreetly proposed a visit to New Delhi by President Mohamed Muizzu in November.
Sources familiar with the matter revealed that the new Maldivian administration, through the Indian High Commission in Male, expressed Muizzu’s desire to travel to India. However, no concrete steps were taken to materialize the visit.
“Confirming a visit depends on finding mutually agreeable dates,” said one source, declining further details.
It is learnt that Male proposed Muizzu’s visit days after he assumed charge as the Maldivian president on November 17. Notably, this attempt at diplomatic engagement coincided with Muizzu’s public call for the removal of Indian military personnel from Maldivian territory. A separate source clarified that the visit proposal was communicated verbally.
India-Maldives relations experienced strain with Muizzu’s rise to power, fueled by his perceived pro-China leanings and campaign promise to expel Indian military personnel.
On Sunday, tensions escalated significantly after three of Muizzu’s deputy ministers published offensive social media posts targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In response, the Maldivian government swiftly suspended the trio following strong condemnation from India.
The derogatory remarks, referencing Modi’s post on ‘X’ after his Lakshadweep visit, implied an attempt to position the Union Territory as a rival tourist destination to the Maldives. The incident sparked outrage in India, leading several celebrities and public figures to encourage domestic tourism exploration over Maldivian vacations.
Maldivian authorities clarified that the social media remarks against foreign leaders, including Modi, were personal opinions and did not reflect the government’s official stance. Despite this, India summoned the Maldivian envoy to express serious concerns on Monday.
Meanwhile, Muizzu embarked on a five-day visit to China, where he addressed the Maldives Business Forum in Fujian Province. Notably, he characterized China as the island nation’s “closest ally” and appealed for increased tourist inflows from China amid a sharp decline in Indian reservations.
with agency inputs
