President Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives reportedly sought ways to strengthen bilateral collaboration with India during his first official visit to the nation. Despite his well-known pro-China views, Muizzu was present at the swearing-in ceremonies for both the Union Council of Ministers and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PM Modi began his third term in office as the head of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
On Tuesday, Muizzu returned to Male. According to the foreign ministry, Prime Minister Modi extended an invitation for the visit. President Droupadi Murmu hosted a banquet while President Muizzu was in town, and bilateral cooperation served as the main topic of discussion.
President Murmu greeted the Maldivian administration and expressed her confidence that Muizzu will continue to lead the nation to prosperity. The two leaders emphasised people-to-people connections, economic ties, and development collaboration while acknowledging the long-standing, complex ties between their countries.
Additionally, S. Jaishankar met with Muizzu and expressed hope for more collaboration. A delegation from the highest level of government accompanied Muizzu. After previous visits to Turkey and China, this was his first journey to India after entering office in November 2023. Since Muizzu took office, there has been tension between India and the Maldives.
