PM Modi’s Maldives Visit Marks Diplomatic Reset and Strategic Gains

PM Modi Maldives Visit Latest News

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on an official visit the Maldives, at the invitation of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu. 

• This marks his third visit to the Maldives and the first by any Head of State or Government during President Muizzu’s tenure.

Key Highlights of PM Modi’s Visit to Maldives

• 60th Independence Day of Maldives
  • PM Modi congratulated Maldives on its 60th Independence Day
  • He is participating in the 60th Independence Day celebrations of the Maldives, as the Guest of Honour.
• Stamp to mark 60 years of India-Maldives friendship released
  • PM Modi and President Mohamed Muizzu issued a stamp to mark 60 years of India-Maldives relations.
    • India was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Maldives following its independence in 1965.
  • The stamps feature India’s Uru boat and Maldives’ Vadhu Dhoni, symbolizing shared maritime heritage and centuries-old Indian Ocean trade.
    • Uru boat – A large wooden dhow handcrafted in the historic boatyards of Beypore, Kerala.
    • The traditional Maldivian fishing boat – Vadhu Dhoni – is used for reef and coastal fishing.
• India gifts BHISHM health cube sets to Maldives
  • As part of India’s Neighbourhood First policy and Vision MAHASAGAR, India gifted handed over two units of Aarogya Maitri Health Cube [BHISHM] sets to the Government of Maldives. 
  • BHISM is a state-of-the-art portable Cube containing medical essentials, designed for rapid deployment in emergencies and disaster zones.
    • With state-of-the-art medical equipment as part of the cube, it can provide medical aid to 200 casualties with in-built support to sustain a crew of six medical personnel for up to 72 hours.
• Inauguration of the Building of Ministry of Defence in Male
  • PM Modi and Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu inaugurate the building of the Ministry of Defence in Malé.
  • This building has been constructed with India’s financial assistance.
• Other Inaugurations / Handing-over
  • Handing-over of 3,300 social housing units in Hulhumale under India’s Buyers’ Credit facilities
  • Inauguration of Roads and Drainage system project in Addu city
  • Inauguration of 6 High Impact Community Development Projects in Maldives
  • Handing-over of 72 vehicles and other equipment
• Agreement/MoU Signed
  • Extension of Line of Credit (LoC) of INR 4,850 crores to Maldives
    • LoC has been extended to support the island as it faces an enduring twin deficit problem.
    • This is the first time that such credit is being extended to the Maldives in Indian Rupee.
  • Reduction of annual debt repayment obligations of Maldives on GoI-funded LoCs
    • This agreement gives major relief to Maldives by reducing its yearly debt payments to India. 
    • Earlier, Maldives had to pay $51 million every year for an $800 million loan. Now, after a 40% cut, it will only have to pay $29 million annually.
  • Launch of India-Maldives Free Trade Agreement (IMFTA) negotiations
• Climate Cooperation and Green Commitments
  • Joint tree-planting under India’s “Ek Pedh Maa Ke Naam” and Maldives’s “Pledge of 5 Million Tree Plantation” campaigns.

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Analysis – From ‘India Out’ to Independence Day Invitation

• Maldives’ shift from the anti-India ‘India Out’ campaign to extending a ceremonial invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for its Independence Day celebrations in 2025 marks a significant diplomatic turnaround. 
• Initially, President Mohamed Muizzu’s tenure, beginning in September 2023, reflected a pro-China tilt. 
• His party’s campaign had strongly criticised India’s military presence in the Maldives, and his early diplomatic visits to Turkey and China, bypassing India, sent a clear message of divergence.

Pragmatic Diplomacy Paid off

• Despite derogatory remarks from some Maldivian ministers and demands for troop withdrawal, India maintained composure, choosing engagement over escalation. 
• Modi met Muizzu at COP28 in UAE, and India replaced its 76 military personnel with HAL technicians in May 2024, addressing Male’s concerns without severing strategic ties.
• This pragmatic diplomacy coincided with Maldives facing internal economic stress, limited Chinese support, and the ruling PNC gaining a supermajority in Parliament. 
• Seeking stability and economic aid, Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer visited India in May 2024, followed by President Muizzu’s five-day visit in October. 
  • The visit concluded with the adoption of a joint vision on economic and maritime security partnership.
• India’s assistance played a crucial role in this reset—raising aid by ₹120 crore, rolling over Treasury Bills worth $150 million, extending currency swaps of $750 million, and offering the highest-ever quotas for essential goods exports. 
• Trade surged to $548 million in 2023, backed by visa-free access for Indian business travellers and LoC projects.

Conclusion

• President Muizzu’s public statement affirming that “Maldives will not do anything that would harm India’s security interests” marked a clear departure from the earlier rhetoric. 
• The Maldives’ gesture to invite PM Modi as Guest of Honour on its 60th Independence Day underlines the maturing of bilateral ties, driven by realism, mutual interest, and regional necessity.
• In sum, India’s patient diplomacy and sustained economic engagement turned a strained relationship into one of renewed trust and cooperation, exemplifying a successful recalibration in the Indian Ocean neighbourhood.

Source: IT | IE | MEA | LM