Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu was accorded a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan by President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. This marks his official five-day maiden visit to India since taking office.
After the ceremonial reception, Muizzu paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat. He is scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with PM Modi at the Hyderabad House later in the day.
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh welcomed Muizzu upon his arrival at Delhi airport on Sunday, accompanied by a high-level delegation. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also met with the Maldives President shortly after his arrival, expressing optimism about enhancing India-Maldives relations.
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“Appreciate his commitment to enhance India-Maldives relationship,” Jaishankar posted on X, anticipating fruitful discussions between Maldives President Muizzu and PM Modi.
During his visit, Muizzu will meet with President Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and other senior officials to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation. Accompanied by First Lady Sajidha Mohamed, the President plans to visit Agra on Tuesday and engage in business discussions in Mumbai and Bengaluru.
Muizzu’s office emphasized his commitment to enhancing ties with nations critical to the Maldives’ development. Discussions will focus on deepening the longstanding relationship between India and the Maldives.
The visit highlights India’s emphasis on its relationship with the Maldives. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal noted that it is expected to boost cooperation and strengthen people-to-people ties between the two nations.
Earlier this year, Muizzu attended PM Modi’s swearing-in ceremony and met him during the COP28 summit in Dubai. Despite previous strains in the relationship, India continues to provide significant development assistance to the Maldives, benefiting many in the island nation.