Careful steps reset India-Maldives ties

The turnaround in India-Maldives ties is largely due to New Delhi staying the course in the face of provocations from Malé and assisting the Indian Ocean archipelago deal with economic problems at a time when other regional players were unwilling to lend a helping hand, people familiar with the matter said.

- Rezaul H Laskar

Nearly two years after President Mohamed Muizzu came to power in the Maldives on the back of an “India Out” campaign and adopted policies that sought to move his country closer to China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will this week become the first foreign head of government to be hosted by the Maldivian leader.

Modi will be guest of honour at celebrations on June 26 commemorating the 60th anniversary of the country’s independence - marking how the relationship has transformed since late 2023.

Muizzu’s rise had sparked concerns in New Delhi that India could lose one of its closest partners in the Indian Ocean region to geopolitical rivals, especially China, which despatched sur-

MODI WILL BE GUEST OF HONOUR AT CELEBRATIONS COMMEMORATING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MALDIVES’ INDEPENDENCE DAY

veillance vessels that were unable to berth in Sri Lanka, to the Maldives and formalised a defence cooperation agreement that included the provision of training and nonlethal military equipment.