India back in Maldives as S Jaishankar meets Mohamed Muizzu today

External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Friday said India’s partnership with the Maldives is based on its deep desire to work together for each other’s welfare and interests, as he emphasised that the relationship with Male was one of the cornerstones of India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.

Jaishankar arrived in Male for a three-day official visit to reset the bilateral relationship with the Maldives, the first high-level trip from India after the archipelago nation’s pro-China president Mohamed Muizzu assumed office last year.

The visit follows a period of strained relations between the two countries earlier this year, when three Maldivian ministers and some parliamentarians made derogatory remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Tensions escalated further after the Maldives, under new President Mohamed Muizzu, reiterated its demand for the withdrawal of Indian troops from the country. As a result, the Indian military personnel were replaced by civilians.

Muizzu, known for his pro-China stance, led an ‘India out’ campaign against the then Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Muizzu defeated the India-friendly Solih in the presidential runoff held in September.

During his election campaign, Muizzu promised to remove Indian military personnel from the Maldives, a pledge he fulfilled.

These Indian military personnel were stationed to operate and maintain two helicopters and a Dornier aircraft that New Delhi had gifted to Male.

Muizzu notably made China his first overseas destination as president and signed several defense agreements with Beijing.

Muizzu suspended three ministers after their social media posts, which caused concern in India and led to calls for a boycott by Indian tourists, who were the largest group visiting the Maldives, followed by Russians, with Chinese tourists ranking third.

However, relations between the two countries now seem to be improving.

In May, after Maldivian foreign minister Moosa Zameer Zameer’s visit to New Delhi, India extended a $50 million loan to the Maldives at Male’s request.

India has removed export restrictions on items such as potatoes, onions, eggs, rice, wheat flour, sugar, dal, stone aggregates, and river sand, significantly benefiting Maldives’ construction sector.

In June, Muizzu attended Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony. Muizzu described his first official visit to India as a “success”.

Jaishankar’s joint press conference with Maldivian counterpart

Addressing a press conference with Moosa Zameer after their talks, Jaishankar said, “India’s partnership with the Maldives is based on our deep desire to work together for each other’s welfare and interests. It is a partnership that has enabled us to always swiftly and effectively respond to challenges as witnessed in the past.”

“Maldives is one of the cornerstones of our ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, it is also one of our Vision SAGAR, as well as of our commitment to the Global South. To put it succinctly in the words of my Prime Minister Narendra Modi – for India, neighbourhood is a priority and, in the neighbourhood, Maldives is a priority,” he said.

“We also share the closest of bonds of history and kinship,” Jaishankar said.

This visit is an opportunity to take stock of what both countries have achieved together as well as to chart out an aspirational blueprint for the coming years, Jaishankar said.

Jaishankar will also call on President Muizzu on Saturday.

The projects to be launched

Jaishankar said over the next three days, “we will be showcasing the results of our partnership and demonstrate how it has enabled the Government of Maldives to build infrastructure, broaden the economic base, make the economy more robust and resilient”.

Jaishankar and Moosa Zameer jointly inaugurated six high impact projects in areas of street lighting, mental health, children’s speech therapy and special education.

He also witnessed signing of MoU between the National Payments Corporation of India and the ministry of economic development and trade of Maldives on the introduction of a digital payment system in the Maldives.

Virtual inauguration and handing over of the water and sewerage projects across 28 islands.

Physical tour of the Addu reclamation project and the Addu detour link bridge.