Prior to his state visit, President Muizzu of the Maldives appreciates India’s “crucial role.”

INN/New Delhi, @Infodeaofficial

Following an official invitation from President of India Droupadi Murmu, President Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives will travel to India for a State Visit from October 6 to 10, his office stated on Friday.

Muizzu is expected to have high-level discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Murmu, and other senior Indian government officials during his first bilateral visit.

“President Dr. Muizzu is steadfast in his commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with countries that are essential to the Maldives’ development and expansion, guaranteeing an active and vibrant foreign policy for the country… Talks will centre on advancing the two countries’ long-standing relationship and bolstering bilateral collaboration, according to a statement released by Muizzu’s office on Friday.

The President of the Maldives had been present at the June 9, 2024, swearing-in event of Prime Minister Modi and the Council of Ministers at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi earlier this year. On December 1, 2023, he had also met PM Modi in Dubai during the COP28 summit. The President of the Maldives, together with a high-ranking team from his nation, is scheduled to visit Mumbai and Bengaluru for business engagements, as per the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

“The visit demonstrates how much India values its ties to the Maldives. “It is anticipated to provide additional impetus to collaboration and strong interpersonal relationships between the two nations,” MEA spokeswoman Randhir Jaiswal stated on Friday afternoon during a weekly press conference in New Delhi. External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar paid an official three-day visit to the Maldives in August. This was his first trip there since taking up the position for a second term in June.

Before then, in January 2023, he had already travelled to the strategically crucial Indian Ocean archipelago, as India insisted that the Maldives played a significant role in New Delhi’s concept of ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘SAGAR’. Even though the two nations’ ties soured last year, India continued to be a major source of development assistance for the island nation, funding various initiatives that improved the lives of thousands of people there.