PM Modi arrives in Maldives, receives warm welcome from Mohamed Muizzu

India Today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Malé on Friday to a grand welcome from Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu and key cabinet ministers. This marks Modi's third visit to the Maldives and the first by a foreign leader since Muizzu took office. PM Modi will attend the Maldives' 60th Independence Day on July 26 as the Guest of Honour.

Transcript

00:00We have pictures from a few moments ago to tell a little about this meeting, this two-day visit of

00:06the Prime Minister. India has spoken about the fact that India-Maldi's joint vision for a

00:11comprehensive economic and maritime security partnership. This is going to be on the focus

00:17really. It's a joint vision. The Prime Minister being welcomed by President Mirzo himself.

00:24There would be inauguration of India-assisted development projects in this island nation.

00:33Various memorandums of understanding would be signed as well between India and the Maldives

00:40during the Prime Minister's visit. The Prime Minister's visit is extremely important. It

00:49marks a significant reset of bilateral ties that had come under severe strain after Amizu,

00:56known for his pro-China leanings, had become the president, remember, in the month of November

01:02in 2023. It's a turnaround in the relationship in that sense, with India working hard on the

01:11ties with the island nation. Nahuda is, in fact, continues to be with us. Nahuda, like I just

01:18mentioned, for our viewers, this obviously is a bit of a reset that India is also looking at,

01:23given that things change. Also, the current president's, you know, leanings towards China

01:30and his pro-China stance, which in many ways distanced India from Maldives, isn't it?

01:35Yeah, like you said, President Moise is sort of labelled as a pro-China president.

01:45Since he was also elected on an India platform pushed for withdrawal of Indian military personnel,

01:52reposition in the Maldives closer to China over from 2023 to 2024, all Indian troops were withdrawn

02:01and replaced by civilians. But by late 2024, I think both sides began a reset. Indian ministers

02:08visited Mali and resignations of the controversial Maldivian ministers were also accepted with the

02:14conflict that carried out. And I think a diplomatic thaw began and economic diplomacy also followed by

02:22that. We saw currency swaps, lines of credit and infrastructure help during runway and bridge

02:28projects tied to India's neighbourhood first policy. So during this visit, like I mentioned before,

02:35it is quite a symbolism of reset because Prime Minister Modi is the first foreign leader to visit

02:41under President Moise. So his role as a guest of honour at the 60th Independence Day underscores

02:47diplomatic research. And in my opinion, I think Maldives has always maintained an India first foreign

02:53policy too, despite periodic swings and sees this visit positively. So with this visit, we are also

03:01seeing an economic diplomacy in action. So India is finalising a line of credit to support Maldives

03:07during acute economic challenges. And Prime Minister Modi is set to integrate India-funded projects

03:13and infrastructure initiatives, including the greater Mali connectivity bridge. So like I mentioned

03:20before, trade discussions, which include progress towards the bilateral free trade agreement with

03:26Maldives. This is also aimed at boosting economic integration. And also, I think there has been

03:34discussions of security and maritime cooperation as well, because Renewed Defence Cooperation

03:42covers extension of Indian defence platforms in Maldives, joint maritime security efforts and

03:48capacity building with Maldives National Defence Force. So India is positioned once again as a regional

03:57first responder, assisting Maldives during crisis and restoring its role in maritime stability.

04:03So come back to you, Nahuda Affairs, getting in those details, coming back in a moment. Gaurav Savant

04:10is also now joining us. Gaurav, this of course, like we've been talking about, is a bit of a reset in

04:15diplomatic ties between both the nations. But things went a little, Laurie, particularly after the current

04:22president who'd taken over, you know, sometime towards the end of 2023, having a bit of a pro-China stance.

04:29Obviously, India was upset about the developments thereafter. But this, like I said, is a bit of a reset there,

04:36isn't it, in ties?

04:37It indeed is, because Maldives has seen reason. President Muizu, you know, he was elected on the

04:44India Out campaign. And he tried to get, you know, a gecozia with China, little realising that Maldives is

04:53barely 70 nautical miles from India's throne. You know, India has always been the first responder.

04:59When there was a coup in Maldives, when President Nasheed was removed, I was covering that coup and

05:05development subsequently. After that, India chose not to interfere and let the people of

05:11Maldives decide their own future. And India would deal with any government there. So that

05:16has been India's stance. We're a friend in need. When you need us, we'll help you. You know, for

05:22example, when the desalination plant collapsed, there was no water to drink in Maldives. So Indian

05:27Navy ships rushed to Maldives. They desalinated water. They provided water. Whether it's COVID-19

05:33times, any situation, Maldives needs any help. Their people need hospitals, medical care,

05:40health care, education. It's India where they come to point one. Point two. India has the largest

05:48number of tourists in Maldives. And that sustained the economy, especially post-COVID. And that is

05:55why India was very disappointed with this India out campaign. Also, the rise of radicalism in Maldives

06:01was a cause of great concern. The largest number of Islamic State terrorists, the largest recruitment

06:08from any one single country was Maldives in 2019. And this again was a cause for concern.

06:14So when Maldives realized that their India out campaign was a disaster and would not hold a country

06:20in good stead, they did a reset. And Prime Minister Narendra Modi always keeps Indian national

06:26interest supreme. That is why he said, okay, you want a reset? We will do a reset. And he said,

06:32you know, our friend was just giving us details of projects that are currently happening.

06:37Sagar is something which India is very big about. You know, the Greater Malay Connectivity Project,

06:45the assistance that was provided in the 1988 coup, 2004 tsunami, COVID-19, all of that,

06:51it just goes on to indicate that India wants good ties with Maldives, depending on Maldives,

06:58the conduct of their people and their president.

07:01Well, absolutely. Gaurav, be with us. In fact, I'll just come back to you in a moment from now.

07:06Nahuda also continues to be with us just to get a sense really of the itinerary today.

07:11Nahuda, for our viewers, tell us what today is really going to look like for the Prime Minister

07:16as far as his work there in Maldives and Malay particularly is concerned. Of course,

07:21it's a two-day visit and not on the agenda. Tell us more.

07:25Yes, he has been welcomed at the airport a few minutes ago. And then, like I said before,

07:31the official ceremony, the welcoming ceremony for Prime Minister Modi will be held

07:36this afternoon here in capital city, Malay, followed by high-level discussions between

07:42both leaders and joint press statement afterwards. So, since tomorrow is the 60th Independence Day

07:51of Maldives, President Modi, I'm sorry, Prime Minister Modi would be participating at the events

08:00which are going to be carried out in celebration of Independence Day.

08:11All right. Nahuda.

08:12Yeah.

08:13Yeah, I will get back to you on the itinerary because there have been slight changes of plans

08:18and we are just waiting on the final itinerary. But like you said, Prime Minister Modi's presence

08:25in Malay as a guest of honor for the Maldives 60th Independence Day, it does symbolize a conscious

08:31effort to reset the relationship. So, I think that the visit also reflects how regional diplomacy

08:38can recover swiftly with political will, signaling the resilience of the India-Maldives bond.

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