” Maldives President Dr Mohamed Muizzu is set to visit India, as two ministers resign over derogatory remarks against PM Modi. Talks are underway to finalize the visit date ”
INVC NEWS
Maldives : Maldives President Dr Mohamed Muizzu will soon make an official visit to India. His spokesperson gave this information. Chief spokesperson of the President’s Office Heena Waleed announced Muizzu’s visit. This announcement has been made on a day when two of the three ministers suspended for making derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January resigned from the government. The ministers who resigned include Maryam Shiuna and Malsha Sharif.
According to reports, the spokesperson said that the date of the visit has not been decided yet. Both the countries are discussing a date which is convenient for PM Modi and Moizzu. Earlier, Muizzu, known for his pro-China stance, visited India on June 9 to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Modi. Muizzu first visited Turkey and then China in January, against the stance of his earlier heads of state who first visited New Delhi after assuming office.
PM Modi’s swearing-in ceremony was attended by the heads of India’s neighbours and countries in the Indian Ocean region. Muizzu had then said that he was happy to receive Prime Minister Modi’s invitation and attend his swearing-in. Muizzu had described his first visit to India after returning as a success for the Maldives. He had said that strong ties between the two countries would lead to prosperity for the people of Maldives. At the same time, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Maldives in August. This was the first high-level visit to Maldives from New Delhi after Muizzu took office in November last year.
India’s relationship with Maldives has been strained since Muizzu became President. Within hours of his swearing-in, he had asked the Indian military personnel deployed on three aviation platforms gifted by India to Maldives to go back. After talks between the two sides, the Indian military personnel were replaced by civilian personnel. The tension increased further after three Maldives ministers made controversial remarks about India and Prime Minister Modi on social media. The Maldives Foreign Ministry distanced itself from his comments, saying they did not represent the views of the Maldives government.( PLC & GT )
