A year after India-Maldives relations hit a historic low, the two countries appear to have reset the trajectory of their bilateral ties. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to the Maldives, his first in over a year, marks a course correction in a relationship that had come under severe strain following the election of President Mohamed Muizzu in November 2023.
A Low Point In Relations
In January last year, President Muizzu, newly elected on an 'India Out' platform, told New Delhi to withdraw all Indian military personnel from Maldivian soil by March 15. The statement was released shortly after Mr Muizzu's return from a high-profile visit to China.
At the time, India maintained a contingent of 77 military personnel in the Maldives, along with 12 medical staff. The personnel were primarily tasked with operating two India-gifted helicopters and a Dornier aircraft used for search and rescue, medical evacuations, and surveillance. These deployments began under President Mohamed Nasheed in 2010.
Yet Mr Muizzu argued that the presence of foreign troops undermined Maldivian sovereignty.
From Distrust To Dialogue
PM Modi's visit this week is the clearest signal yet of the normalisation of ties. Over two days in Male, he met with President Muizzu and key Maldivian leaders, including Vice President Uz Hussain Mohamed, People's Majlis Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla, and former President Nasheed.
India announced a fresh line of credit worth Rs 4,850 crore aimed at financing infrastructure and development projects. Discussions were also held on climate change, renewable energy and trade.
In a statement posted on social media, PM Modi said, "Our nations continue to work closely in sectors like infrastructure, technology, climate change, energy and more. This is greatly beneficial to our people. We look forward to deepening this partnership in the years to come."
Public Opinion and Media Voices
To gauge sentiment on the ground, NDTV spoke with prominent Maldivian journalists.
Ahmed Aiyadh, a veteran journalist based in Male, acknowledged the tensions during the early phase of Mr Muizzu's presidency, but noted, I believe ties have been back on track for a while, especially since President Muizzu's trip to India. At the start of his administration, there was a fallout, as we all saw. However, I think it's positive that the government has realised the need to rely on India for progress. Prime Minister Modi's recent visit highlighted how much the Maldives depends on India for financial support and development."
"Most of the 'India Out' campaign led by the current ruling party was based on lies," he added.
Sharing similar thoughts, journalist Maryam Waheeda said, "There was friction initially, but that doesn't have to last forever. This government has worked hard to restore ties. People have always had a warm relationship with India."
