New Delhi [India], July 22 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming state visit to the Maldives marks a “hard-won understanding” between the two nations following a brief period of strained ties, stated former diplomat Mahesh Sachdev on Tuesday.
Speaking to ANI ahead of the PM’s visit to the island nation at the invitation of President Mohamed Muizzu, Sachdev stated that the Prime Minister’s visit, as the guest of honour for the Maldives’ 60th anniversary of independence and the 60th anniversary of bilateral ties, comes at a pivotal moment, “with a hard-won understanding and with a reset of bilateral ties to where they were always there, but for a small patch of misunderstanding during the past two years.”
He reflected on the strengthening of bilateral cooperation, noting a stance of friction in the relationship between the two nations, particularly when Muizzu requested the withdrawal of Indian naval personnel stationed in the Maldives for training and support missions.
“Our ties with the Maldives during the past two years have seen various ups and downs due to the election of a new president in that country. President Mohammad Muizzu was elected on the slogan of ‘India Out’ and during electioneering, he sought to portray an image of a Maldivian nationalist who wanted equidistant policies with various countries, including India, the closest neighbour, this created a bit of friction when soon after the election, he wanted Indian naval personnel to leave the Maldives, who were there on a training mission for rescue and support,” the former diplomat stated.
Notably, ties between New Delhi and Male further strained after Maldivian officials made derogatory remarks about Prime Minister Modi in early January last year.
However, during the visit of Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer in April 2024, Zameer distanced his government from the derogatory remarks made by these officials, stating that it was not the government’s stance and that “proper action” had been taken to ensure such remarks were not repeated.
He stated that India had complied but worked diligently behind the scenes to manage the relationship, emphasising that the Maldives had recognised India’s role as a key partner in the region.
“This was complied with, but at the same time, India worked behind the scenes and was able to manage the ties. The President visited India for the inauguration of Prime Minister’s third term and subsequently paid another visit, during which he appeared to have mollified his stance and given priority to India. Gone are those counter attempts that led him to Beijing first, then Turkey, and others. The primacy of India’s ties with the Maldives and the Maldives’ need for India as a big brother, a partner for development cooperation, and maritime security have become evident,” Sachdev stated.
Earlier today, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that India has been lending a “helping hand” to the Maldives to stabilise its “stressful financial” situation, highlighting New Delhi’s role in bolstering the island nation’s foreign exchange reserves through significant financial assistance.
During a press briefing ahead of Prime Minister’s visit to the Maldives, Misri elaborated on India’s support for the island nation, noting that a USD 400 million swap line has been nearly fully utilised to stabilise its financial situation.
Last year, during Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu’s visit to India, the Union Government extended support in the form of USD 400 million and Rs 30 billion as a bilateral currency swap agreement in order to tackle the ongoing financial challenges faced by the Maldives.
Earlier in May, the Union Government extended support to the island nation by rolling over the USD 50 million treasury bill.
PM Modi will embark on his two-nation tour of the UK and the Maldives from July 23 to July 26, the MEA had said on Sunday.
From July 25, he will be on a two-day state visit to Maldives at the invitation of President Mohamed Muizzu. He has been invited as the ‘Guest of Honour’ for the 60th Anniversary celebrations of the Independence of Maldives on July 26.
Notably, the visit by PM Modi comes at a historic juncture as New Delhi and Male are marking their 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.
This will be the Prime Minister’s third visit to the Maldives and the first visit by a Head of State or Government to the Maldives during the Presidency of Mohamed Muizzu. (ANI)
