India, Maldives Reset Ties As PM Modi Visits Male After Year of Diplomatic Strain

A year after their bilateral ties reached a record low, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Male, his first in more than a year, is a symbol of the revived warmth between India and the Maldives. After President Mohamed Muizzu's election in November 2023, relations had soured, but the visit represents a major shift in direction.

Strategic Conversation from Diplomatic Low

In January 2024, tensions reached a pinnacle when President Muizzu, who was elected on a strong "India Out" campaign, ordered that all Indian military forces leave Maldivian territory by March 15. The demand further strained relations because it was made shortly after his trip to China.

India had 12 medical staff members and 77 military men stationed in the Maldives at the time. President Mohamed Nasheed started these forces' 2010 deployments, which mainly involved search and rescue missions, medical evacuations, and maritime surveillance using a Dornier aircraft and two Indian-gifted helicopters.

President Muizzu contended that the foreign troops' presence damaged the nation's sovereignty and caused a split in the otherwise tight alliance.

PM Modi's Visit Indicates Normalcy

PM Modi visited Male for two days and met with former President Nasheed, President Muizzu, Vice President Uz Hussain Mohamed, and Speaker of the People's Majlis Abdul Raheem Abdulla. Following the visit, a new line of credit totalling 4,850 crore was announced to support Maldivian infrastructure and development projects.

Other important topics of conversation included trade, renewable energy, climate change, and strengthening regional cooperation. PM Modi expressed his vision on social media, writing: "Our countries are still collaborating closely in areas like energy, technology, infrastructure, and climate change. Our folks will benefit enormously from this. We're excited to strengthen this collaboration in the upcoming years."

Media Reactions and Public Attitudes

Prominent journalists from the Maldives consider the visit to be a watershed. There was some fallout at the beginning of President Muizzu's administration, but relations have improved, particularly since his visit to India, according to Ahmed Aiyadh, a seasoned journalist in Male. The importance of India to our development and financial support is demonstrated by Prime Minister Modi's visit.

Echoing similar sentiments, journalist Maryam Waheeda added, “There was initial friction, but this government has worked hard to restore ties. People have always maintained a warm relationship with India.”