Bhaijaan
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Always playing the role of the responsible big bro keeping in mind our pledge to Bharat Mata the mother of Ancient Mahabharat.
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Contact the PP Team
President Mohamed Muizzu's ruling party wins majority in Maldives elections amid anti-India policies [Post Updated #222]
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Bhaijaan
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Bringing enlightenment to our neighbours and helping them become better
Bhaijaan
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Now just waiting for PM Modi ji’s nod before proceeding with making my bookings for the Maldives trip. In the national interest as a patriot and a true Sanatani, I had halted this plan previously despite immense domestic pressure.
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Maldives ministers quit months after 'clown' jibe against PM Modi: Report
Two Maldivian ministers resigned Tuesday, the government said, months after their suspension following a furious spat with neighbouring powerhouse India for alleged "derogatory remarks" against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Pro-China President Mohamed Muizzu, who suspended three ministers in January for their remarks -- including one reportedly calling PM Modi a "clown" -- is seeking to rebuild ties with New Delhi.
Known as a luxury holiday destination, the atoll nation has also become a geopolitical hotspot, with New Delhi suspicious of Beijing's influence in Male.
India's government has traditionally considered the Maldives, home to around half a million people, within its sphere of influence.
Global east-west shipping lanes pass the nation's chain of 1,192 tiny coral islands, stretching around 800 kilometres (500 miles) across the equator.
A government official said both had resigned citing "personal reasons".
Official sources said the resignations came ahead of a potential visit by Muizzu to New Delhi.
They also follow a visit last month by India's foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, his first trip to the archipelago nation since Male expelled Indian troops in May.
The now ex-ministers had criticised PM Modi on social media, sparking angry protests from Indian celebrities who called for a tourism boycott, the mainstay of the nation's economy.
They criticised PM Modi following his visit to promote the Indian territory of Lakshadweep, a cluster of atolls just north of the Maldives, as a tourist destination.
PM Modi posted photographs of himself snorkelling, and suggested the islands should be on the must-visit list of any adventure-seeking tourist.
There was no immediate word on a third minister, who was also suspended in January.
Muizzu travelled to India to attend PM Modi's inauguration in June, but has not made a solo official visit.
Since coming to power, Muizzu has toned down his anti-Indian rhetoric and said he would not upend the regional balance by replacing Indian forces with Chinese troops.
SOURCE: https://www.indiatoday.in/world/sto...ibe-pm-modi-mohamed-muizzu-2597395-2024-09-10
Two Maldivian ministers resigned Tuesday, the government said, months after their suspension following a furious spat with neighbouring powerhouse India for alleged "derogatory remarks" against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Pro-China President Mohamed Muizzu, who suspended three ministers in January for their remarks -- including one reportedly calling PM Modi a "clown" -- is seeking to rebuild ties with New Delhi.
Known as a luxury holiday destination, the atoll nation has also become a geopolitical hotspot, with New Delhi suspicious of Beijing's influence in Male.
India's government has traditionally considered the Maldives, home to around half a million people, within its sphere of influence.
Global east-west shipping lanes pass the nation's chain of 1,192 tiny coral islands, stretching around 800 kilometres (500 miles) across the equator.
A government official said both had resigned citing "personal reasons".
Official sources said the resignations came ahead of a potential visit by Muizzu to New Delhi.
They also follow a visit last month by India's foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, his first trip to the archipelago nation since Male expelled Indian troops in May.
The now ex-ministers had criticised PM Modi on social media, sparking angry protests from Indian celebrities who called for a tourism boycott, the mainstay of the nation's economy.
They criticised PM Modi following his visit to promote the Indian territory of Lakshadweep, a cluster of atolls just north of the Maldives, as a tourist destination.
PM Modi posted photographs of himself snorkelling, and suggested the islands should be on the must-visit list of any adventure-seeking tourist.
There was no immediate word on a third minister, who was also suspended in January.
Muizzu travelled to India to attend PM Modi's inauguration in June, but has not made a solo official visit.
Since coming to power, Muizzu has toned down his anti-Indian rhetoric and said he would not upend the regional balance by replacing Indian forces with Chinese troops.
SOURCE: https://www.indiatoday.in/world/sto...ibe-pm-modi-mohamed-muizzu-2597395-2024-09-10
Planning the same for end of the year Bhaijaan. Was looking at some other nations start of this year, but Muizzu bhai's redemption arc is heartwarming. <3
Bhaijaan
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Holding my mustangs for now.
Once PM Modi gives go ahead, i will proceed with booking at an appropriate time of my choice. Its not a big deal for us Bharatiya tourists but for Maldives this foreign inflow of cash is crucial for their livelihood.
They’ve bent the knee. That’s all that they had to do. So i am ok with this.
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Looks like lakshadweep isn't attractive to Indians and at the first chance they flock back to Maldives.
It's a shame. All that crying for nothing.
It's a shame. All that crying for nothing.
gani999
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Dude, PM Modi could give a rats a$$ about where you go for vacation.
And if you are a true sanatani and a patriot, you would still go to Lakshadweep. It is in your own country. You should be promoting your own country's economy and not those of others.
Bhaijaan
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For many Bharatiya couples and families, there is also an aspiration of ‘foreign travel’. With almost same investment they will get a stamp on their passports if they go to these cheaper nearby tourist places. That’s why they’re so popular.
Personally I find them too cheap.
For low budget travel, Central Asian countries are worth exploring.
Bhaijaan
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My one tour will bring food to many families in Maldives. Sometimes it’s from a humanitarian pov also.
Its all about Marketing. All B and C grade celebs in Billywood get paid trips to Maldives to post pictures in their instagram accounts. People who follow them follow it to post their own pictures from Maldives.
I've been to Maldives. It is indeed beautiful and the accommodations that are built on the ocean are great. Somebody spent a lot of money in building it. However, the weather is atrocious. Extreme heat and humid. I went in June. That was a mistake.
With all this said and done, Maldives is back into India's camp. Those Islands have to import everything to survive.
I try to not be very preachy about this topic as my Sanatan is something very private and close to me, but I'll write a little Sanantan101 for you Deadly brother, for some reason I have always trusted your intentions to be noble.
A Sanatani has no friends or enemies, all he has is a path of Dharma. I don't know how familiar you are with Mahabharata, but Kauravs despite being family to Pandavas had to be taken down as they took the path of Adharma.
In Ramayana, even enemy kin like Sugreev and Vibhishan were embraced by Lord Rama for they chose the path of Dharma. Point being, there are no friends or enemies, it's all about who aligns with your Dharma and who poses a threat to it.
So when it comes to Maldives, it wasnt Maldives or Muizzu Bhartiyas had issue with, it was their path of Adharma. Now that bhai Muizzu is a good boy, we have no issues embracing him as a brother. 𝘒𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘢 is for all, even Pakistan if they show a change of heart. <3
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I'll have to Google many of those words but very interesting post brother. Where do lakshwdeep Islands fit in to this worldview as I'm assuming that will line better with dharma than someone who embraced adharma at one point and may do so again?
Major
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So in a move where India was trying to isolate Pakistan in world politics, they ended up isolating themselves from everyone else.
Maldives, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, China, Nepal and Pakistan
When it comes to global politics, India is surely a joke.
Maldives, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, China, Nepal and Pakistan
When it comes to global politics, India is surely a joke.
I personally hop around the country all year long while spending new year away from Bharat brother, so Lakshdweep Islands fit exactly where places like Shillong or Kerala would fit, part of my home travel plans.
And you are absolutely right about 𝘒𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘢 being a double-edged-sword. We never know when Muizzu may get back to his old ways.
But that's how we are brother, a Sanatani is like Son Goku, you may call us naive for the forgiving nature but it works out sometimes, and when it does, it's totally worth it.
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What a post and what an ending. Love it.
Hitman
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Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu to visit India in October to reset relations
Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu will travel to India in the second week of October for a visit that is seen as an attempt to reset bilateral ties after an acrimonious period in the relationship, people familiar with the matter said on Friday.
Muizzu, who last came to New Delhi to participate in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in on June 9 along with leaders of six other regional countries, is set to be in India for the bilateral visit during October 7-9. His meetings with the Indian leadership, including Modi, are scheduled for October 7, the people cited above said on condition of anonymity.
This will also be Muizzu’s first bilateral trip to India since he became president in November 2023 on the back of an ‘India Out’ campaign. His government’s efforts to reduce the Maldives’ dependence on India and a demand for the removal of some 85 Indian military personnel deployed in the Indian Ocean archipelago to operate three aircraft took bilateral ties to a fresh low.
Last December, Muizzu’s government, which is perceived to be pro-China, terminated a 2019 agreement with India for joint hydrographic surveys. This was followed by several steps to bolster defence cooperation with China and Turkey.
However, there have been signs of a thaw in the overall relationship in recent months. Shortly after India replaced the military personnel who operated and maintained two helicopters and an aircraft, used mainly for humanitarian missions, with civilian experts, Muizzu was a surprise addition to the list of regional leaders invited to Modi’s swearing-in.
“There has been a definite dialling down of the rhetoric from the Maldives. Now the two sides will look for ways to take things forward and strengthen relations,” one of the people cited above said.
Muizzu’s trip in June was followed by a visit to the Maldives by external affairs minister S Jaishankar in August, when the two sides signed an agreement on introducing India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) system in the archipelago and inaugurated several projects built with Indian grants and loans.
Signs of a thaw came from Muizzu himself, when he described India as “one of the closest allies and invaluable partners” of the Maldives at a meeting with Jaishankar. Earlier this month, Muizzu’s spokesperson announced he would visit India “very soon” on the same day that two junior ministers, who were suspended in January for derogatory comments against Modi, resigned from the government.
The Indian side has also helped the Maldives avoid the risk of defaulting on its Islamic bond payments by extending the State Bank of India’s (SBI) subscription to government treasury bills worth $50 million for another year. The treasury bills had matured on September 19. In May this year, the SBI subscribed treasury bills worth $50 million under the same mechanism, again at the request of the Maldivian government.
Sameer Patil, a Mumbai-based security expert with Observer Research Foundation, said the latest developments in bilateral ties reflected the pragmatic approach adopted by Muizzu in recent months. “After the initial outbursts of anti-India sentiments, the Muizzu administration has made reconciliatory moves towards India, as is evident from his participation in Modi’s swearing-in and the impending visit,” he said.
“This also reflects a pragmatic realisation that he can’t keep a distance from India, knowing fully well the perils of depending only on China, as well as the overall regional situation, where he needs on his side,” Patil added.
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Link: https://www.hindustantimes.com/indi...tober-to-reset-relations-101727429968367.html
At every point when Pakistanis like you celebrated seemingly tough situation for India, we always had the last laugh. Remember return of Taliban was supposed to be the big deal for Pakistan and how it was supposed to be a disaster for India. Ever since their return who have they been killing - Pakistan army men and civilians. None of Maldives, Nepal, Lanka is going anywhere, yes China and India are in a diplomatic war situation but then that's 2 big boys having a contest, yours a mercenary nation who no one cares about.
What happened in Maldives? President Mohammad Muizzu immediately after taking oath had demanded the withdrawal of Indian military personnel manning three aviation platforms gifted by India to the Maldives. Finally he toned down from his position and demanded that Indian military personnel should be replaced by civilians. Now that's just on paper, do you really think military personnel were replaced by civilians? Haha.
Bhaijaan
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So true.
The thing with some of our neighbours is that they’re trying to bargain hard and get a much better deal from Bharat by playing the China card by giving very little in return.
All Bharat needs to do is stay quietly and call their bluff and watch them crawl back for forgiveness. It’s a trend if you noticed with Nepal, Afghanistan. Bangladesh, Sri Lanka.
Bhutan have been the wisest and o wonder they benefited the most from us.
cricketjoshila
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Stop clapping for clowns.
FearlessRoar
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Maldivian President Muizzu In India From October 7-10: Meet With PM Modi, Mumbai, Bengaluru Visits On The Cards
Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu is set to visit India starting October 7, in what would be his first trip after coming to power.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced his three-day visit on Friday, during which he will visit Mumbai and Bengaluru. He will land in India on October 6. Muizzu will meet PM Narendra Modi for bilateral talks on October 7.
Muizzu, whose election campaign was based on ‘India Out’, has so far taken many steps which were not aligned with India First Policy. First, Muizzu’s ministers made derogatory remarks against PM Modi, for which they were later suspended.
He also negotiated the presence of Indian teams and ultimately India had to replace existing teams with a new batch of technical team in Maldives for the operation of Aviation Platforms.
It took almost one year for India to bring the country on the same page.
India has stepped in to provide crucial financial assistance to the Maldives, helping the island nation avoid the risk of default on its upcoming Islamic bond payments. India’s loan, made through the State Bank of India, is the second such support this year, aimed at helping the Maldives manage its short-term financial obligations. India extended $50 million emergency loan as part of an ongoing effort to assist the Maldives with its economic challenges.
In addition to this loan, the Maldives is negotiating a $400-million currency swap agreement with India, which could provide further relief.
Discussion to boost tourism with Maldives will also be on the agenda. Since the rough patch between the two nations, the number of Indian tourists going to the Maldives has reduced.
Last month, the Maldives tourism ministry held roadshows in India to promote tourism. This visit of President Muizzu could now help the cash-strapped nation get more tourists.
Maldivian President Muizzu In India From October 7-10: Meet With PM Modi, Mumbai, Bengaluru Visits On The Cards - News18
Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu is likely to visit various Indian cities and meet PM Narendra Modi for bilateral talks on October 7
JaDed
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Lol yeah Diversify the economy before alienating Indians.
Irrespective hopefully it’s a good push for Lakshwadeep infrastructure.
Irrespective hopefully it’s a good push for Lakshwadeep infrastructure.
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This guy really called India's bluff.
Threw their army out.
They rushed to highlight Lakshawdeep and realised it was a dud.
Went back and offered to work with Maldives.
Gave him money to keep him happy.
And now they invite him over as a state guest.
He has comprehensively wiped the floor with India.
Threw their army out.
They rushed to highlight Lakshawdeep and realised it was a dud.
Went back and offered to work with Maldives.
Gave him money to keep him happy.
And now they invite him over as a state guest.
He has comprehensively wiped the floor with India.
JaDed
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India has stepped in to provide crucial financial assistance to the Maldives, helping the island nation avoid the risk of default on its upcoming Islamic bond payments. India’s loan, made through the State Bank of India, is the second such support this year, aimed at helping the Maldives manage its short-term financial obligations. India extended $50 million emergency loan as part of an ongoing effort to assist the Maldives with its economic challenges.
Other than that Maldives is holding road shows in India to boost tourism, do you want India to throw them out? Wouldn’t you had called India petty then?
If anything India has called out his China Bluff, no one helped them with payments on Islamic bond payment which India did is also a loan to them.. none of the friendly Muslim countries helped him, he knew exactly what he got himself into.
JaDed
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Numbers are what matters @DeadlyVenom
In the April to June quarter, a peak travel period for Indians, Agatti Airport in Lakshadweep handled 22,990 passengers, a substantial increase from 11,074 in the same period last year. This surge is attributed to a boost in flight services and seat availability. The number of flights to Agatti increased by 88%, with a total of 786 movements compared to 418 in the previous year. Alliance Air, IndiGo, and Fly91 now provide more frequent services from major Indian cities, significantly expanding the number of seats available to Lakshadweep.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Mind you these are Indian tourists that can afford to fly..
In the April to June quarter, a peak travel period for Indians, Agatti Airport in Lakshadweep handled 22,990 passengers, a substantial increase from 11,074 in the same period last year. This surge is attributed to a boost in flight services and seat availability. The number of flights to Agatti increased by 88%, with a total of 786 movements compared to 418 in the previous year. Alliance Air, IndiGo, and Fly91 now provide more frequent services from major Indian cities, significantly expanding the number of seats available to Lakshadweep.
Maldives looses Indian visitors as Lakshadweep gains popularity
Indian visitors to the Maldives have sharply declined amid diplomatic tensions, with only 28,604 arriving in the April-June quarter compared to 54,207 last year. Concurrently, Lakshadweep has seen a surge, with Agatti Airport handling 22,990 passengers, up from 11,074. The number of flights to...
Mind you these are Indian tourists that can afford to fly..
Bhaijaan
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Reminds me of Myke Tyson’s comment when he said if anyone thinks someone like Floyd Mayweather could beat him it would be an interesting world because in the real world it’s a huge mismatch.
Makes total sense for Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan like nations to be wiping the floor with Bharat.
The US, Russia, EU, Israel etc must be delusional or something to be giving respect, building billions of dollars worth long term relationships with a country which is being wiped on the floor by Nepal, Maldives & Pakistan.
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Maldives president visits India amid trouble in tourist paradise
Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu is expected to seek a bailout during his visit to India this week as the archipelago nation stares at an economic crisis with fears of debt default.
It’s Muizzu's first official bilateral visit after he was voted to power late last year following a campaign centred on an 'India out' policy, with a promise to reduce Delhi's influence.
Since then, ties have been strained between the countries but experts say the visit indicates that the Maldives can't afford to ignore its giant neighbour.
The foreign exchange reserves of the Maldives stood at about $440m (£334m) in September, just enough for one-and-a-half months of imports.
Last month, global agency Moody’s downgraded the Maldives' credit rating, saying that “default risks have risen materially”.
An Indian bailout will bolster the country’s foreign currency reserves.
Before visiting India, Muizzu chose to travel to Turkey and China - his visit to the latter in January was seen as a high-profile diplomatic snub to Delhi as previous Maldivian leaders first visited Delhi after being elected. Around the same time, a controversy erupted in India after three Maldivian officials made derogatory comments about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“President Muizzu’s visit is a turnaround in several ways,” says Azim Zahir, a Maldives analyst and lecturer at the University of Western Australia.
“Most notably, the visit is a realisation of how dependent the Maldives is on India, a dependency that no other country will find easy to fill,” he says.
The Maldives consists of about 1,200 coral islands and atolls located in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The archipelago has a population of about 520,000 compared to India’s 1.4 billion.
As a small island nation, the Maldives depends on its giant neighbour India for most of its food, infrastructure building and healthcare.
Delhi and Male have not officially confirmed that a financial package for the Maldives is on the agenda during the visit. But experts believe it will be part of the discussion.
“The key priority of Muizzu’s visit is to secure a financial helpline in the form of grant-in-aid and restructuring debt repayments,” a senior Maldivian editor, who did not want to be identified, told the BBC.
Muizzu also wants a “$400m currency swap deal sought by the Maldives central bank to shore up depleted foreign exchange reserves”, he added.
The ratings agency Moody’s further expressed serious concerns over Male’s financial situation, saying that "(foreign) reserves remain significantly below the government’s external debt service of around $600m in 2025 and over $1bn in 2026".
The public debt of the Maldives is about $8bn, including about $1.4bn it owes each to China and India.
“Despite Muizzu stating on several occasions that China has given a green signal for deferring debt payments for five years, financial assistance from Beijing has not been forthcoming,” the Maldivian editor said.
With no other country coming to the rescue, it appears that Muizzu is now reaching out to India to mend strained ties.
“It’s about resetting the tone and negative rhetoric from senior officials of Muizzu’s government that has considerably impacted Indian tourist arrivals,” says Zahir.
India has long wielded influence over the Maldives, whose strategic position in its backyard allowed it to monitor a crucial part of the Indian Ocean. But Muizzu wanted to change that by moving closer to China.
In January, Muizzu’s administration gave an ultimatum to India to withdraw about 80 troops based in the country. Delhi said they were stationed there to man and operate two rescue and reconnaissance helicopters and a Dornier aircraft it had donated years ago.
In the end, both countries agreed to replace troops with Indian civilian technical staff to operate the aircraft.
A month after assuming charge, Muizzu's administration also announced that it would not renew a hydrographic survey agreement with India that was signed by the previous government to map the seabed in the Maldivian territorial waters.
Then a row broke out after three of his deputy ministers made controversial comments about Modi, calling him a “clown”, “terrorist” and a "puppet of Israel".
The remarks set off an uproar and calls to boycott the Maldives on Indian social media. Male said the comments were personal and did not represent the views of the government. The three ministers were suspended from the cabinet.
In what was seen as a thinly-veiled criticism of the reaction on Indian social media, Muizzu said at the time: “We may be small, but that doesn’t give you the licence to bully us.”
Muizzu’s administration also allowed the port call of a Chinese research ship, Xiang Yang Hong 3, much to Delhi's displeasure. Some saw it as a mission to collect data which could - at a later date - be used by the Chinese military in submarine operations.
Nevertheless, there was a thaw in bilateral ties after Muizzu attended the swearing-in ceremony of Modi after he was elected for a third consecutive term in June this year.
In August, Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar's visit also gave a reboot to bilateral ties.
"The Maldives is one of the cornerstones of our ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy," Jaishankar said in Male.
“To put it succinctly in the words of my Prime Minister Narendra Modi - for India, neighbourhood is a priority and, in the neighbourhood, Maldives is a priority,” he added.
For Delhi, it’s a welcome change as it recently witnessed the ouster of the India-friendly government of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh and the return of KP Sharma Oli, who used to criticise India’s policies, as the prime minister of Nepal.
Muizzu has realised that antagonising India is not an option and his pragmatism is not without reason. The number of Indian tourists visiting the Maldives dropped by 50,000 in the past year, resulting in an estimated loss of about $150m.
He is aware if he doesn’t get financial support from India, the Maldives could become a paradise lost. That’s why his India visit is crucial.
BBC
Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu is expected to seek a bailout during his visit to India this week as the archipelago nation stares at an economic crisis with fears of debt default.
It’s Muizzu's first official bilateral visit after he was voted to power late last year following a campaign centred on an 'India out' policy, with a promise to reduce Delhi's influence.
Since then, ties have been strained between the countries but experts say the visit indicates that the Maldives can't afford to ignore its giant neighbour.
The foreign exchange reserves of the Maldives stood at about $440m (£334m) in September, just enough for one-and-a-half months of imports.
Last month, global agency Moody’s downgraded the Maldives' credit rating, saying that “default risks have risen materially”.
An Indian bailout will bolster the country’s foreign currency reserves.
Before visiting India, Muizzu chose to travel to Turkey and China - his visit to the latter in January was seen as a high-profile diplomatic snub to Delhi as previous Maldivian leaders first visited Delhi after being elected. Around the same time, a controversy erupted in India after three Maldivian officials made derogatory comments about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“President Muizzu’s visit is a turnaround in several ways,” says Azim Zahir, a Maldives analyst and lecturer at the University of Western Australia.
“Most notably, the visit is a realisation of how dependent the Maldives is on India, a dependency that no other country will find easy to fill,” he says.
The Maldives consists of about 1,200 coral islands and atolls located in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The archipelago has a population of about 520,000 compared to India’s 1.4 billion.
As a small island nation, the Maldives depends on its giant neighbour India for most of its food, infrastructure building and healthcare.
Delhi and Male have not officially confirmed that a financial package for the Maldives is on the agenda during the visit. But experts believe it will be part of the discussion.
“The key priority of Muizzu’s visit is to secure a financial helpline in the form of grant-in-aid and restructuring debt repayments,” a senior Maldivian editor, who did not want to be identified, told the BBC.
Muizzu also wants a “$400m currency swap deal sought by the Maldives central bank to shore up depleted foreign exchange reserves”, he added.
The ratings agency Moody’s further expressed serious concerns over Male’s financial situation, saying that "(foreign) reserves remain significantly below the government’s external debt service of around $600m in 2025 and over $1bn in 2026".
The public debt of the Maldives is about $8bn, including about $1.4bn it owes each to China and India.
“Despite Muizzu stating on several occasions that China has given a green signal for deferring debt payments for five years, financial assistance from Beijing has not been forthcoming,” the Maldivian editor said.
With no other country coming to the rescue, it appears that Muizzu is now reaching out to India to mend strained ties.
“It’s about resetting the tone and negative rhetoric from senior officials of Muizzu’s government that has considerably impacted Indian tourist arrivals,” says Zahir.
India has long wielded influence over the Maldives, whose strategic position in its backyard allowed it to monitor a crucial part of the Indian Ocean. But Muizzu wanted to change that by moving closer to China.
In January, Muizzu’s administration gave an ultimatum to India to withdraw about 80 troops based in the country. Delhi said they were stationed there to man and operate two rescue and reconnaissance helicopters and a Dornier aircraft it had donated years ago.
In the end, both countries agreed to replace troops with Indian civilian technical staff to operate the aircraft.
A month after assuming charge, Muizzu's administration also announced that it would not renew a hydrographic survey agreement with India that was signed by the previous government to map the seabed in the Maldivian territorial waters.
Then a row broke out after three of his deputy ministers made controversial comments about Modi, calling him a “clown”, “terrorist” and a "puppet of Israel".
The remarks set off an uproar and calls to boycott the Maldives on Indian social media. Male said the comments were personal and did not represent the views of the government. The three ministers were suspended from the cabinet.
In what was seen as a thinly-veiled criticism of the reaction on Indian social media, Muizzu said at the time: “We may be small, but that doesn’t give you the licence to bully us.”
Muizzu’s administration also allowed the port call of a Chinese research ship, Xiang Yang Hong 3, much to Delhi's displeasure. Some saw it as a mission to collect data which could - at a later date - be used by the Chinese military in submarine operations.
Nevertheless, there was a thaw in bilateral ties after Muizzu attended the swearing-in ceremony of Modi after he was elected for a third consecutive term in June this year.
In August, Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar's visit also gave a reboot to bilateral ties.
"The Maldives is one of the cornerstones of our ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy," Jaishankar said in Male.
“To put it succinctly in the words of my Prime Minister Narendra Modi - for India, neighbourhood is a priority and, in the neighbourhood, Maldives is a priority,” he added.
For Delhi, it’s a welcome change as it recently witnessed the ouster of the India-friendly government of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh and the return of KP Sharma Oli, who used to criticise India’s policies, as the prime minister of Nepal.
Muizzu has realised that antagonising India is not an option and his pragmatism is not without reason. The number of Indian tourists visiting the Maldives dropped by 50,000 in the past year, resulting in an estimated loss of about $150m.
He is aware if he doesn’t get financial support from India, the Maldives could become a paradise lost. That’s why his India visit is crucial.
BBC
rpant_gabba
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Maldives president is here to make India and Modi beg. just Like Modi was begging Yunus during UN visit
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FearlessRoar
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Mohammed Muizzu to seek bailout from India amid Maldives economic crisis: Report
Maldivian President Mohammed Muizzu has expressed confidence that India will step up to assist the island nation as it grapples with a worsening economic crisis. Muizzu, who arrived in New Delhi on a five-day visit, is expected to request a financial bailout amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars, a BBC report stated.
With foreign exchange reserves dwindling to just $440 million, the Maldives finds itself perilously close to a debt default —enough reserves to cover only six weeks of crucial imports.
"India is fully cognisant of our fiscal situation, and as one of our biggest development partners, will always be ready to ease our burden, find better alternatives and solutions to the challenges we face," BBC quoted Muizzu as saying in an email interview.
Further in the interview, Muizzu acknowledged the deep-rooted ties between the two nations, though he refrained from addressing his earlier anti-India stance, a key issue that defined his political campaign.
"We are confident that any differences can be addressed through open dialogue and mutual understanding," he said.
Last month, Moody's, the global credit rating agency, downgraded the Maldives' credit rating, saying "default risks have risen materially". India has already offered a substantial financial package of $1.4 billion to the Maldives to support its infrastructure and development projects.
Mohammed Muizzu to seek bailout from India amid Maldives economic crisis: Report
Maldivian President Mohammed Muizzu landed in New Delhi on Sunday seeking financial assistance as the island nation faces an economic crisis, with dwindling foreign reserves and rising risk of debt default.
cricketjoshila
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Yeh he has truly done a number on you.
Threw your troops out, caused meltdowns by your leadership and phony tourism stunts that failed, now he's doubling down by taking your money.
cricketjoshila
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He is coming here to beg, just like Pakistani PMs go around begging bailouts.
Not sure he will get much.
Broke your heart. Did he?
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Not really.
He sent you guys into a meltdown where your government rolled out every celebrity to promote your islands. When nobody from India wanted to visit your Islands they backed down.
Now they have come to take your money to build the infrastructure to accommodate your tourists (which will take your money again).
I'm not sure how any of this is a victory for India.
FearlessRoar
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‘New Impetus To Friendly Ties’: India Welcomes Maldives President Muizzu
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday met Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu who arrived in New Delhi on Sunday, for his first bilateral visit to India, along with Sajidha Mohamed, the Maldivian First Lady.
“Pleased to call on President @MMuizzu today at the start of his State Visit to India. Appreciate his commitment to enhance relationship. Confident that his talks with PM @narendramodi tomorrow will give a new impetus to our friendly ties,” Jaishankar said in a post on social media site X.
Muizzu was welcomed by Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Kiriti Vardhan Singh. His visit, which will last from October 6-10, has come upon the official invitation of President Droupadi Murmu.
“President His Excellency Dr @MMuizzu and First Lady Madam Sajidha Mohamed arrive in New Delhi, India, for a state visit, at the invitation of Indian President, Her Excellency Droupadi Murmu. The official welcoming ceremony will take place tomorrow. The President and First Lady are accompanied by a high-level government delegation,” the Maldivian President’s Office said in a social media post.
Muizzu told news agency ANI at the recently concluded 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that he was planning to visit India as soon as possible.
This is the second time that Muizzu is visiting India this year. He earlier visited India this year to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this June.
Traditionally, nearly every Maldivian president made India their first foreign visit, but Muizzu broke with this convention by visiting Turkiye first, followed by China, after taking office.
‘New Impetus To Friendly Ties’: India Welcomes Maldives President Muizzu - News18
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday met Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu who arrived in New Delhi on Sunday, for his first bilateral visit to India, along with Sajidha Mohamed, the Maldivian First Lady.
rpant_gabba
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how is this a win?
a big talking muslim idiot from a muslim country which is on the verge of bankruptcy is coming with a begging bowl after the chinese turned him down.
seems to be the fate of muslim countries of south asia. talking big and begging for table scraps.
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If that makes you happy keep believing it.
But the facts are there.
Maldives took India for a ride then gave them the bill after.
rpant_gabba
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There is nothing to believe. its not like the sky daddy fairytales.
That has been the fate of every muslim country in south asia. I understand why it must be hard to accept for you. After all you a from a country which has mastered that act.
Bro - you and your facts: lol .
Here you go, his whole interview :
President Muizzu in India: 'Will never hurt India's security interests, Maldives first but will prioritise ties with India' | India News - Times of India
India News: As the dramatic improvement in India-Maldives ties in recent months culminated in President Mohamed Muizzu’s first state visit to India that started S.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Red-Indian
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How we handle this visit by Muizzu should be a good test of our neighborhood foreign policy. Bringing a recalcitrant State back into line without humiliating them will require deft handling - some gentle finger wagging to show politicians not to use anti-India sentiment as a poll issue but not too much that they'll go begging back to China.Bro - you and your facts: lol .
President Muizzu in India: 'Will never hurt India's security interests, Maldives first but will prioritise ties with India' | India News - Times of India
India News: As the dramatic improvement in India-Maldives ties in recent months culminated in President Mohamed Muizzu’s first state visit to India that started S.
We seem to be doing a decent job in Sri Lanka now. The new President - a guy with some history of anti-India sentiment has carefully refrained from any statements and actions reflecting such feelings.
If we do a good job with Maldives, the next step will be a tougher one - bringing Bangladesh back into line even if it is with the support of the States.
China actually does this balancing act pretty well. All sides in Pakistan show slavish devotion to them irrespective of changing civilian governments or military control. We could do worse than following their model. No involvement in local political affairs and always loans rather than grants to keep the country in line.
hoshiarpurexpress
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@DeadlyVenom looks like he fell in line to beg from Kaafirs.Bro - you and your facts: lol .
President Muizzu in India: 'Will never hurt India's security interests, Maldives first but will prioritise ties with India' | India News - Times of India
India News: As the dramatic improvement in India-Maldives ties in recent months culminated in President Mohamed Muizzu’s first state visit to India that started S.
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hoshiarpurexpress
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Do you even read before you post? Muizzu is back in India to beg and Bengalis will fall in line pretty soon.
Sri Lanka is already cozy with India again. Only one left is Pakistan, with an empty bowl. Keep begging.
FearlessRoar
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PM Modi Meets Maldives President Muizzu In Delhi, Likely To Discuss Bilateral, Regional Issues Amid Strained Ties
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. The two leaders held a meeting at the venue. This comes months after the ties between the countries strained since Muizzu came to power last year.
During their meeting, Muizzu and PM Modi are expected to discuss “bilateral, regional, and international issues of mutual interest,” according to India’s Foreign Ministry. Muizzu will also hold meetings with senior Indian officials during his five-day India visit.
Tensions between India and Maldives have grown since pro-China Muizzu came to power last year after defeating India-friendly incumbent Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
Leading up to the 2023 elections, Muizzu had promised to expel Indian soldiers deployed in Maldives to help in humanitarian assistance. In May, New Delhi replaced dozens of these soldiers with civilian experts.
Ties were also strained in January when some Maldivian leaders lashed out at Modi for promoting India’s Lakshadweep archipelago for Indian travellers. Lakshadweep is off the southwestern coast of the Indian mainland.
Maldivian leaders saw the move as a way to lure Indian tourists away from their country and encourage them to visit Lakshadweep instead. It sparked angry protests from Indian celebrities who called for a tourism boycott in Maldives. Tourism is the mainstay of the Maldives’ economy.
The dispute deepened when Muizzu visited China ahead of India in January, a move which was seen as a snub to New Delhi. On his return, Muizzu spelt out plans to rid his tiny nation of dependence on India for health facilities, medicines, and import of staples.
A thaw ensued after Muizzu attended Modi’s June swearing-in ceremony in New Delhi for a third five-year term. Since then, Muizzu has toned down his anti-Indian rhetoric, and official-level contacts have intensified with New Delhi.
India’s Foreign Minister, S Jaishankar, on Sunday said he was confident Muizzu’s talks with Modi would give “a new impetus” to the “friendly ties” between the countries.
Regional powers India and China compete for influence in the archipelago nation, which is strategically located in the Indian Ocean.
For decades, India has been a critical provider of development assistance to the Maldives, including infrastructure projects, medical care, and health facilities. Meanwhile, Maldives is part of China’s “Belt and Road” initiative to build ports and highways and expand trade, as well as China’s influence across Asia, Africa, and Europe.
Muizzu’s visit to New Delhi is essential for Modi, who is facing a challenging time in neighbourhood diplomacy with Marxist politician Anura Kumara Dissanayake taking over as Sri Lanka’s president and India-friendly Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fleeing to India in August after being forced to resign by students-led protests. Nepal also now has pro-China KP Sharma Oli as its Prime Minister.
PM Modi Meets Maldives President Muizzu In Delhi, Likely To Discuss Bilateral, Regional Issues Amid Strained Ties - News18
PM today met Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu in New Delhi to discuss bilateral, regional, and international issues, amid strained ties due to Muizzu's pro-China stance.
dubeTheGoat
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Why is it that everytime a neighbouring nation decides they have had enough of Indian interference , they go to China , end up defaulting and come back to beg for bailouts from India?
First Sri Lanka
Now Maldives
Like.. at this point. We should stop giving bailouts and let them be (Yes I know this is geopolitically a mistake but frankly I think they are taking India granted). The mere fact is that no other regional power would allow smaller nations to act as consolidation holds for rivals. (Look at China,US, Russia,Japan and Europe). Yet India allows this to happen (and it somehow even works in our favor)
First Sri Lanka
Now Maldives
Like.. at this point. We should stop giving bailouts and let them be (Yes I know this is geopolitically a mistake but frankly I think they are taking India granted). The mere fact is that no other regional power would allow smaller nations to act as consolidation holds for rivals. (Look at China,US, Russia,Japan and Europe). Yet India allows this to happen (and it somehow even works in our favor)
Red-Indian
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I think you need to look at a bit of history before you start letting emotions influence diplomatic and geo-political relationships.
India ever since Independence has had socialistic leanings and aligned pretty closely with the Soviet Union all the way until the Indira Gandhi government. In spite of this, the United States helped us
- kickstart the green revolution
- set up the first IIT and several RECs
- professionalise the Bombay Stock Exchange
and of course sent us heaps of food and other aid over the year.
At least Pakistan paid the US back by supporting and participating in it's wars in Afghanistan. We did nothing of the sort.
They could've very well said 'India's an ungrateful country' and stopped bothering but they recognised the strategic value of continued engagement with a key country and now they're reaping the benefit of a potential alliance in what is likely to be their rivalry of the next few decades against China.
We know we're stuck with these neighbours. Yes there'll be petty fights and occasional outbursts especially when we go too far in our interference (which we really shouldn't be doing) but keeping them in our orbit and away from too much Chinese influence is crucial in the long run. Tolerating a few 'ungrateful tantrums' and lending a few hundred million dollars is a small price to pay for this.
dubeTheGoat
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oh yes I know hence I stated geopolitically its a mistake.
The US is playing the long game by playing India against China. They are near perfect in their soft power projection and diplomacy - ensuring the Sino Soviet Split when Soviet Union was strong and now countering China by using India as leverage. India US relations were rrally great during the years just after independence. It was during the peak of Cold War that things deteriorated.
To be honest, aside from Bangladesh Nepal and Bhutan holding the chicken's neck corridor, I dont see much importance in naval dominance since the US has enclosed China in the first island chain for now.
Red-Indian
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I think we can't be focused purely on the now. As the US get increasingly isolationist - accelerated if under Trump, slower if under Kamala, a lot of regions will have to look to their own strategic defense.
It's important not to overreact to every "research ship" China sends into the area but we definitely can't allow a Chinese base in Sri Lanka, Maldives and the likes. After all, Myanmar is virtually a client state - from what I remember, the Chinese are building them a port whose civilian applications aren't clear.
dubeTheGoat
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I thought Harris planned on continuing Pax Americana led order or are there calls within the democrat party for America First policy too?
Red-Indian
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Except within a small echo chamber all based in DC, there's a lot of fatigue for US involvement overseas. Trump and his side of the Republican party are openly isolationist. Kamala and the Dems can't fight the tide either. It'll be a long time before we'll see US Troops on the ground anywhere. With all the funding pressures on the US budget, money will have to be cut from somewhere and the overseas stuff - bases, military aid etc. will be the obvious target from what I can see.
Local.Dada
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Yes Maldives first owned us and now are commanding that we give them money to give better benefits for our tourists. Total ownage of India by Maldives. Great geo political acumen and intelligence. Amazing
Red-Indian
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Looks like we're being careful. We're lending them about $400m in USD/Eur and about $100m in Indian Rupees under a currency swap agreement - short term...about a 2.5 year agreement so we can maintain some leverage. I'm surprised China chose not to lend this much to keep the new bonhomie alive but maybe they have other priorities. Maldives is much more strategic to us than to them.
RBI, Maldives monetary authority sign $400 million currency swap agreement
JaDed
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Chinese debt to these countries is the reason for that devotion.
India can’t gift money that way.
Red-Indian
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We have close to $800Bn in foreign reserves at this point. Deploying some of that in loans to maintain influence in our neighbourhood is not a bad investment. I think the RBI has a cap of about $2Bn on these kind of currency swap deals we're offering to Sri Lanka and Maldives. Seems a reasonable risk.
dubeTheGoat
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Yes. I am guessing China is more focused on South China Sea and Taiwan issue for now. The border conflicts and Indian Ocean Supremacy are 3rd in their list of self actualization.
I have heard certain analysts say China is purposefully having minor border conflicts with us so that we are forced to spend more on our defence rather than other sectors hampering the growth
FearlessRoar
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'Neighbourhood First': India Hikes Budget Share For Maldives To Rs 600 Cr After Muizzu’s Damage Control
India, which has a budgetary allocation for a few neighbouring countries, significantly slashed the share of the Maldives in the last budget as cabinet ministers of the island nation sparked a souring of ties. Ever since, much effort has been made by the Mohamed Muizzu-led government to rein in such elements and undo the damage done, with the country facing economic stress. Muizzu’s bilateral visit last October resulted in a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which was seen as the two nations considering the row as history. In Budget 2025 presented on Saturday, India scaled up the budgetary allocation for the island nation by nearly Rs 130 crore, to Rs 600 crore from Rs 470 crore last year. However, the amount is still short of the pre-dispute allocation in 2023-24 of Rs 770.90 crore.
Government sources said the budget for the Maldives has increased due to India’s “neighbourhood first" policy, despite South Block being aware of President Mohamed Muizzu’s pro-China leanings.
In January 2024, relations between India and the Maldives, traditionally close neighbours with strong historical and cultural ties, became strained due to derogatory remarks made by Maldivian cabinet ministers and concerns over racism directed at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India as a whole. This happened when a series of photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi staring pensively out into the Arabian Sea, surrounded by Lakshadweep’s coastal splendour last January, not only set off a social media war between India and the Maldives but also triggered a low-key diplomatic row between the two friendly countries.
When he visited the island, known for its largely untouched natural beauty, to promote infrastructure development and tourism, the Prime Minister would not have anticipated such a harsh and uncharacteristic reaction from the Maldives.
The row was mainly triggered by a senior minister in the Muizzu-led government, Abdulla Mahzoom Majid, who accused India of targeting his country. He said India faces significant challenges in competing with the Maldives when it comes to beach tourism. His remarks on X came after PM Modi put out his Lakshadweep post, which went viral and prompted many social media users to suggest that the union territory could be an alternate tourist destination to the Maldives.
Majid later deleted his post, but the damage was done. Mariyam Shiuna, Maldives’ deputy minister of youth empowerment, information, and arts, called Modi a “clown" and “puppet of Israel" in a post on X. While Shiuna has deleted the post since, her government also suspended her. Shiuna also compared India to “cow dung".
“What a clown. The puppet of Israel, Mr Narendra, diver with a life jacket. #VisitMaldives #SunnySideOfLife," she said in her post.
Malsha Sharif, another deputy minister in the same ministry, also made derogatory comments of a similar nature against India. Both were suspended along with another government official, Hasan Zihan, deputy minister of transport and civil aviation.
But PM Modi had his plans for Lakshadweep that the Maldives feared would be strong competition. Even before a year completed after the row began, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Lakshadweep, and the photographs created a new interest in the archipelago, the Centre is preparing to unveil eight big projects to enhance Lakshadweep’s connectivity for tourists and give the likes of the Maldives a run for their money.
CNN-News18 has accessed a union government document that lists out these projects—including the capability for larger vessels to come to the Kavaratti, Agatti, and Minicoy islands, the development of landside facilities, including passenger facilitation centres with modern amenities at the Kalpeni, Kadmat, and Androth islands, and the development of open jetties that can handle even cruise vessels at the Kalpeni and Kadmat islands. Work will begin soon on the first project worth Rs 303 crore—the construction of jetties and landside at the Kadmat Island—for which tenders were invited on December 4.
www.news18.com
India, which has a budgetary allocation for a few neighbouring countries, significantly slashed the share of the Maldives in the last budget as cabinet ministers of the island nation sparked a souring of ties. Ever since, much effort has been made by the Mohamed Muizzu-led government to rein in such elements and undo the damage done, with the country facing economic stress. Muizzu’s bilateral visit last October resulted in a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which was seen as the two nations considering the row as history. In Budget 2025 presented on Saturday, India scaled up the budgetary allocation for the island nation by nearly Rs 130 crore, to Rs 600 crore from Rs 470 crore last year. However, the amount is still short of the pre-dispute allocation in 2023-24 of Rs 770.90 crore.
Government sources said the budget for the Maldives has increased due to India’s “neighbourhood first" policy, despite South Block being aware of President Mohamed Muizzu’s pro-China leanings.
In January 2024, relations between India and the Maldives, traditionally close neighbours with strong historical and cultural ties, became strained due to derogatory remarks made by Maldivian cabinet ministers and concerns over racism directed at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India as a whole. This happened when a series of photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi staring pensively out into the Arabian Sea, surrounded by Lakshadweep’s coastal splendour last January, not only set off a social media war between India and the Maldives but also triggered a low-key diplomatic row between the two friendly countries.
When he visited the island, known for its largely untouched natural beauty, to promote infrastructure development and tourism, the Prime Minister would not have anticipated such a harsh and uncharacteristic reaction from the Maldives.
The row was mainly triggered by a senior minister in the Muizzu-led government, Abdulla Mahzoom Majid, who accused India of targeting his country. He said India faces significant challenges in competing with the Maldives when it comes to beach tourism. His remarks on X came after PM Modi put out his Lakshadweep post, which went viral and prompted many social media users to suggest that the union territory could be an alternate tourist destination to the Maldives.
Majid later deleted his post, but the damage was done. Mariyam Shiuna, Maldives’ deputy minister of youth empowerment, information, and arts, called Modi a “clown" and “puppet of Israel" in a post on X. While Shiuna has deleted the post since, her government also suspended her. Shiuna also compared India to “cow dung".
“What a clown. The puppet of Israel, Mr Narendra, diver with a life jacket. #VisitMaldives #SunnySideOfLife," she said in her post.
Malsha Sharif, another deputy minister in the same ministry, also made derogatory comments of a similar nature against India. Both were suspended along with another government official, Hasan Zihan, deputy minister of transport and civil aviation.
But PM Modi had his plans for Lakshadweep that the Maldives feared would be strong competition. Even before a year completed after the row began, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Lakshadweep, and the photographs created a new interest in the archipelago, the Centre is preparing to unveil eight big projects to enhance Lakshadweep’s connectivity for tourists and give the likes of the Maldives a run for their money.
CNN-News18 has accessed a union government document that lists out these projects—including the capability for larger vessels to come to the Kavaratti, Agatti, and Minicoy islands, the development of landside facilities, including passenger facilitation centres with modern amenities at the Kalpeni, Kadmat, and Androth islands, and the development of open jetties that can handle even cruise vessels at the Kalpeni and Kadmat islands. Work will begin soon on the first project worth Rs 303 crore—the construction of jetties and landside at the Kadmat Island—for which tenders were invited on December 4.
'Neighbourhood First': India Hikes Budget Share For Maldives To Rs 600 Cr After Muizzu’s Damage Control
Budget 2025: On Saturday, India scaled up the budgetary allocation for the island nation by nearly Rs 130 crore, to Rs 600 crore from Rs 470 crore last year. However, the amount is still short of the pre-dispute allocation in 2023-24 of Rs 770.90 crore
www.news18.com
Maybe Ban or Pak should have given. And even China. But guess what , countries are realizing what a vicious gov China is. Heres that link from Al Jazeera which states maldives owes China debt payments back .
Why is pro-China Maldives leader Muizzu seeking to mend India ties?
Mohamed Muizzu embarks on a state visit to India a year after becoming president on anti-India rhetoric. Here’s why.
Devadwal
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Maldives President Muizzu to Celyon Today
"We fully recognise India's vital role as a close neighbour & long standing development partner"
"We are committed to working with India"
Ek Boycott ne Maldives ko sudhaar diya
"We fully recognise India's vital role as a close neighbour & long standing development partner"
"We are committed to working with India"
Ek Boycott ne Maldives ko sudhaar diya
Bhaijaan
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Well Well Well
Hitman
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Dil ke armaan aasuo meh behh gaye .....
Bhaijaan
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SAARC is nothing but an assembly of poor good for nothing freeloader beggar nations.
They have no idealistic alliances. No shared vision for the region.
Whoever throws something free at them they start singing to their tunes. Sometimes it’s India. Sometimes China. The game goes on.
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