Pro-China Maldivian President, Mohamed Muizzu will travel to India on an official visit “very soon”, his spokesperson said on Wednesday (11th September 2024). The announcement of his visit to India came on a day when two Maldivian Ministers “resigned” from the government months after they made derogatory remarks against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
It is pertinent to note that in January this year, Muizzu suspended three ministers Mariyam Shiuna, Malsha Shareef, and Mahzoom Majid for speaking against India, Indians, and PM Modi. Now, after prolonged suspension, Shiuna and Malsha have resigned while there was no immediate word about the fate of the third minister, Majid, who was also suspended in January.
The three ministers in the Muizzu government made anti-India remarks while reacting to PM Modi’s visit to Lakshadweep. The controversy erupted after political commentator Raushan Sinha shared PM Modi’s video ‘promoting tourism in Lakshadweep’ and asserted that it is a “big setback to the new Chinese puppet govt of Maldives”.
The post irked Mariyam Shiuna, Maldives’ Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment, Information and Arts. The Maldivian leader responded to Mr. Sinha’s post by calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “clown” and a “puppet of Israel”, which she later deleted. Incidentally, she again made an anti-India post a few months later, only to apologise a few hours after sharing an insulting post on the Indian flag.
Muizzu seeking to rebuild ties with India; announces official visit to India on a day when his two anti-India Ministers resigned
While a government official said that both the anti-India Ministers had resigned citing “personal reasons”, their resignations came ahead of an official visit by Muizzu to New Delhi.
On 11th September, the Chief spokesperson at the President’s Office, Heena Waleed announced that Muizzu will visit India “very soon”.
During a press conference, Waleed said, “The President is scheduled to visit India very soon… such trips are scheduled for a time of maximum convenience to leaders of the two countries. Discussions regarding this are in progress.”
Strikingly, this will be Muizzu’s second visit to India in quick succession as the pro-China leader has been attempting to mend diplomatic relations with India.
Muizzu last visited New Delhi on 9th June 2024 to attend Prime Minister Modi’s swearing-in ceremony. He was part of a high-level delegation invited to attend PM Modi’s swearing-in ceremony. The delegation included Heads of state from India’s neighbourhood and the Indian Ocean region.
Back then, Muizzu had said that he was delighted to receive PM Modi’s invitation and “equally delighted” to have attended the event. On his return, Muizzu described his first visit to India as a “success” for the Maldives.
Meanwhile, the development also follows a visit last month by India’s foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to Maldives. This was his first trip to the archipelago nation since Male expelled Indian troops in May.
Muizzu, who led India–out campaign before the elections, has been trying to tone down his anti-Indian rhetoric in the wake of prolonged economic crises in the atoll nation which was worsened after his Ministers’ remarks caused a diplomatic sparring with India.
Muizzu who initially broke the pattern of making India the first foreign visit after getting elected, has now pleaded on multiple occasions with India to save it from the debt trap. He is also attempting to rebuild ties with India to safeguard its ‘tourism-dependent’ economy from the shock caused by his Ministers’ derogatory anti-India remark and subsequent reduction in Indian tourists to Maldives.
