Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu will tour India on October 6 for his first bilateral visit to the country, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday.
This is his second visit to India this year.
“President of the Republic of Maldives, H.E. Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, will be travelling to India on a State visit on 6-10 October, 2024. This will be the first bilateral visit of President Dr. Muizzu to India,” read a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs.
During his visit to India, Muizzu will meet Indian President Droupadi Murmu and hold bilateral talks with PM Narendra Modi.
“President Dr. Muizzu will also visit Mumbai and Bengaluru where he would be attending business events,” read the MEA statement.
Muizzu had earlier visited India in June when he attended the swearing-in ceremony of PM Narendra Modi who returned to power for the third straight term.
Considered a pro-China leader, Muizzu had changed the diplomatic trend of the archipelagic nation by first visiting China and Turkey after coming to power, unlike his predecessors who would fly to India on their first official overseas travel.
Before coming to power, Muizzu’s entire poll campaign was based on the ‘India Out’ slogan. The removal of Indian troops was also part of the campaign.
Diplomatic tensions between the two countries had reached a flashpoint last year over remarks made by some Maldives ministers against Indian PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Lakshadweep, to promote the Indian Union Territory having the potential to compete with tourism major Maldives.
Soon after being elected as the President of the nation, Muizzu directed the complete withdrawal of Indian military personnel from the country, known as a popular travel destination for its picturesque beaches.
The withdrawal of Indian troops from Maldives was completed this year.
Maldives is India’s key maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and holds a special place in Prime Minister’s vision of ‘SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and India’s ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’, the MEA said.
