Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed within the Maldives on Friday as part of his second leg of the two-nation go to. PM Modi has been invited by Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu and can attend the nation’s sixtieth Independence Day celebrations because the Visitor of Honour. He obtained a welcome from President Muizzu and senior ministers from the federal government upon his arrival. The Maldivian capital, Male, wore a festive look on Friday, adorned with giant posters, vibrant banners, and fluttering Indian flags, because the island nation geared as much as welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his two-day state go to.
Nonetheless, nearly 18 months in the past, the identical couldn’t have been imagined. In January 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s go to to Lakshadweep to advertise home tourism didn’t go effectively with some Maldivian ministers, who not solely mocked India but additionally disrespected Modi. This led to an enormous uproar because the ties between the 2 nations plummeted additional. Although the Maldivian authorities distanced itself from the assertion and expelled the ministers, the hate for India stemmed from its President Mohamed Muizzu’s ballot marketing campaign.
Muizzu, who is taken into account near China, led ‘India Out’ marketing campaign within the run-up to the presidential polls. When he took reign of the Island nation, he pressured round dozens of Indian personnel, who used to coach Maldivian troopers, in another country, taking the bilateral ties and defence cooperation to a historic low. India’s affect within the Indian Ocean island chain seemed to be in danger as a result of rising presence of China.
A memorable welcome in Maldives. Sturdy ties between our nations will drastically profit our individuals. pic.twitter.com/qQVoB51FJw
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 25, 2025
After wrapping up a five-day journey to China in January 2024, President Muizzu emphasised in a media interplay that though the Maldives is a small island nation, that does not give anybody the proper to dominate or strain it. He firmly acknowledged that the Maldives is “not in anybody’s yard.” A few months later, in March, he made it clear that no Indian navy personnel — not even these in civilian apparel — would stay within the Maldives past Might 10, 2024. By early Might, India complied with the deadline, withdrawing its troops fully and changing them with technical workers as a part of a mutual understanding.
Relations between India and the Maldives took a optimistic flip when President Muizzu visited India on a state journey in October 2024. His go to got here at a time when the Maldives was grappling with a mounting debt disaster and a rising fiscal deficit, elevating issues a few potential default. Throughout his assembly with Indian leaders in New Delhi, a big breakthrough got here within the type of a $750 million foreign money swap settlement, legitimate till 2027, aimed toward easing the Maldives’ international change challenges. The 2 nations additionally issued a joint “imaginative and prescient assertion” outlining plans for a broad-based partnership overlaying financial cooperation and maritime safety. Additional strengthening the help, India prolonged a $50 million treasury invoice in Might 2025 to assist the Maldives increase its international reserves and stabilize its financial system.
India and the Maldives have lengthy shared a robust relationship formed by their shut geographical proximity, cultural ties, and mutual help throughout occasions of disaster. With solely about 70 nautical miles separating India’s southernmost islands from the northern Maldives, the island nation performs a key position in India’s maritime safety within the southern Indian Ocean. Over time, India has supported the Maldives by way of medical assist, coaching packages, infrastructure initiatives, and emergency help.
To take care of momentum of their improvement agenda, the 2 nations established Excessive-Stage Core Group Conferences (HLCGMs). These common conferences have helped resolve diplomatic challenges and guarantee easy implementation of agreements—beginning with the troop alternative deal and now specializing in pushing ahead the joint Imaginative and prescient assertion.
India has additionally remained a gradual companion in enhancing the Maldives’ maritime capabilities by aiding with coastal radar techniques, naval coaching, and surveillance — all consistent with its broader Indian Ocean safety technique. In Might 2025, the 2 nations held joint catastrophe response workouts, reflecting their shared dedication beneath the MAHASAGAR regional cooperation framework.
Given the Maldives’ strategic place alongside important worldwide transport routes, its stability and collaboration are important to India’s maritime pursuits. For President Muizzu, some great benefits of working carefully with India have develop into extra evident after a yr of exploring various partnerships.