Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu at Hyderabad House in Delhi. Muizzu is on a four-day trip to India. Muizzu received a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan by President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Notably, the Maldives President is on his official five-day maiden visit to India, the first since he assumed office, at the invitation of President Murmu. Earlier on Sunday, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh received Muizzu as he arrived at the Delhi airport, along with a high-level delegation.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on Mohamed Muizzu, shortly after the Maldives President arrived in the national capital. EAM S Jaishankar posted on X (formerly Twitter), ‘Pleased to call on President Mohamed Muizzu today at the start of his State Visit to India. Appreciate his commitment to enhance India-Maldives relationship. Confident that his talks with PM Narendra Modi tomorrow will give a new impetus to our friendly ties’.
#WATCH | Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu at Hyderabad House. The two leaders are holding a meeting here.
(Video: DD News) pic.twitter.com/P3oE9MVRay
— ANI (@ANI) October 7, 2024
During the visit, he is scheduled to hold high-level meetings with President Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and other senior officials of the Indian government. Muizzu’s office said in a statement on Friday, ‘President Dr Muizzu remains committed to enhancing bilateral ties with nations that play a crucial role in the development and growth of the Maldives, ensuring a dynamic and proactive foreign policy for the nation. Discussions will focus on strengthening bilateral cooperation and further enhancing the longstanding relationship between the two nations’.
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He will also be visiting Mumbai and Bengaluru for business engagements. Earlier, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu announced the withdrawal of Bharatiya military personnel responsible for operating aviation platforms within the archipelago. The decision, revealed during a public meeting, follows weeks of tensions over the presence of Bharatiya troops on Maldivian soil
President Muizzu’s government also decided to prevent India from carrying out hydrographic surveys in the Maldives’ waters. This move is seen as an attempt to reduce cooperation with India and possibly appease China.
The Maldives government suspended three ministers—Mariyam Shiuna, Malsha Shareef, and Mahzoom Majid—due to their derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The offensive comments had sparked a massive backlash, prompting the government to take action. However, in the midst of escalating tensions between India and the Maldives, popular travel and tourism platform EaseMyTrip has decided to suspend flight bookings to the island nation.
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