Maldives Prez Mohd Muizzu and wife Sajidha Mohd arrive on 5-day visit on Sunday.
Maldives Prez Mohd Muizzu and wife Sajidha Mohd arrive on 5-day visit on Sunday.
Maldives Prez Mohd Muizzu and wife Sajidha
Mohd arrived Delhi on 5-day visit on Sunday.
In the vanguard of his bilateral meeting on Monday with PM Modi, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu flagged the need for financial aid to his country, saying Delhi is “fully cognisant” of the island nation’s fiscal situation and will always be ready to “ease the burden” as one of Male’s biggest development partners.
Ties amid the two countries have been under strain ever since Muizzu rode to power last November on an ‘India Out’ election plank.
Four months ago the Maldives President was in India four months to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the third Modi government.
He was received at the airport by Minister of State (External Affairs) Kirti Vardhan Singh.
Now amidst his five-day visit from October 6 to 10 he will also travel to Agra, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar after calling on President Muizzu, took to his X, handle and appreciated his commitment to enhance” the relationship amidst India and Maldives.
He further said that he was confident that the President’s talks with the PM Modi on Monday “will give a new impetus to their friendly ties”.
Earlier, extending “a warm welcome” to the President, Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, said, “The visit will provide further boost to this long-standing comprehensive bilateral partnership.”
Jaiswal said that President Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed are on a State visit at the invitation of President Droupadi Murmu. The official welcoming ceremony takes place today. The President and First Lady are accompanied by a high-level government delegation.
In remarks before his departure for New Delhi, Muizzu outlined the primary goal of the visit.
In an email to BBC ahead of his visit, he said that “India is fully cognisant of our fiscal situation, and as one of our biggest development partners, will always be ready to ease our burden, find better alternatives and solutions to the challenges we face,”
India has already offered financial support worth $1.4 billion to Male for various infrastructure and development projects.
His visit is significant since India and Maldives witnessed a slide in bilateral ties after Muizzu assumed office last year. Soon after coming to power, he asked India to withdraw its military personnel.
News Edit KV Raman
