S Jaishankar to begin three-day official visit to Maldives today amid strained ties
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will begin his three-day official visit to Maldives from today, the first high-level visit from New Delhi since the island nation’s pro-China President Mohamed Muizzo took office nearly nine months ago, amid strained ties between the two countries.
Mr Jaishankar’s visit comes after Mr Muizzo’s visit to India on June 9 for the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Council of Ministers. This was Mr Muizzo’s first official visit to India after assuming office in November last year.
Announcing Mr Jaishankar’s visit, the Ministry of External Affairs said in an official statement, “Maldives is India’s key maritime neighbour and an important partner in India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and our vision ‘SAGAR’ – Security and Growth for All in the Region.” The statement further said the visit is aimed at strengthening the close partnership between the two countries and exploring avenues to further enhance bilateral ties.
Mr Jaishankar had earlier visited the Maldives in January 2023.
Moosa Zameer, the Foreign Minister of the Maldives, met Mr. Jaishankar during an official visit to India earlier in May.
The relationship between the Maldives and India had deteriorated significantly since Mr. Muizzu assumed the position of president. Soon after taking an oath, he moved to have Indian military personnel removed from his nation. The Indian military personnel were subsequently replaced by civilians.
