'Centuries of mutual respect': Maldives' Muizzu extends Republic Day greetings to India amid soured ties
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu
Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu on Friday (January 26)extended Republic Day greetings to Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid the ongoing diplomatic tensions between the two countries. This gesture comes in the wake of a recent diplomatic row triggered by derogatory comments made by Maldivian Deputy Minister Mariyam Shiuna about India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Muizzu, in separate messages to President Murmu and PM Modi, conveyed his "heartfelt felicitations" on the occasion of the 75th Republic Day of India. The statement highlighted the centuries-old bond between the Maldives and India, characterised by mutual respect.
"President Dr Muizzu conveyed good wishes from the Government and the people of the Maldives to the Government and the people of India. He underscored the Maldives-India bond nurtured by centuries of friendship, mutual respect, and a deep sense of kinship. The President expressed hope for continued peace, progress, and prosperity for the Government and people of India for years to come," the Maldives government press release said.
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The wishes by Muizzu comes after a series of events that soured relations between India and the Maldives.
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The derogatory comments made by Mariyam Shiuna, the Deputy Minister at the Maldives Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Information, and Art,led to India officially raisingconcerns with Male. The incidentsparkeda diplomatic row between the neighbouring countries.
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Later, President Muizzu, who had recently returned from a five-day trip to China, took a veiled swipe at India, stating, "We may be small, but that doesn’t give you the license to bully us."
He also asserted that the Indian Ocean does not belong to any particular country and said that the Maldives is not in anyone's backyard.
Despite the tensions and exchange of words, President Muizzu's Republic Day greetings appear to be an attempt to mend diplomatic relations and reaffirm the longstanding ties between the Maldives and India. But it remains to be seen whether it signals a willingness from the Maldives to de-escalate tensions with its neighbouring nation.
(With inputs from agencies)