Maldives President Muizzu accepts invitation to attend Modi’s oath ceremony: Report

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has reportedly accepted the invitation to attend Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony, scheduled for Sunday (June 9), media reports said.

This comes amid tough times in bilateral ties as Muizzu was elected on an anti-India plank.

A news portal Edition.mv quoted its sister publication in Dhivehi, Mihaaru News, as saying that President Muizzu will leave for New Delhi on Saturday (June 8) for the swearing-in ceremony, accompanied by several senior government officials.

It is worth mentioning that leaders of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Mauritius and Seychelles have also been invited to the ceremony.

The official confirmations have been received from Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda.

Slide in India-Maldives relations

Immediately after coming to power in November 2023, Muizzu, who is seen as pro-China, had asked India to withdraw its military personnel from the island country.

In February, India and the Maldives agreed that India would withdraw all its approximately 80 military personnel stationed in the Maldives between March 10 and May 10.

This withdrawal was completed by May 10. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that the military personnel have returned and have been replaced by "competent Indian technical personnel."

Interestingly, on Wednesday (June 5), Muizzu congratulated Modi and voiced his desire to work with the Indian Prime Minister to advance bilateral ties.

“Congratulations to Prime Minister @narendramodi and the BJP and BJP-led NDA, on the success in the 2024 Indian General Election, for the third consecutive term. I look forward to working together to advance our shared interests in pursuit of shared prosperity and stability for our two countries,” Muizzu posted on X.

(With inputs from agencies)