India: PM Modi will be guest of honor of Maldives’ Independence Day celebrations

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is scheduled to make a state visit to Male’ this upcoming weekend, will be the guest of honor during Maldives’ Independence Day celebrations, according to the Indian External Affairs Ministry.

PM Modi is scheduled to make a state visit to the Maldives from July 25-26, at the invitation of Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu. The visit coincides with the 60th Independence Day of the Maldives, which the country is set to celebrate on July 26.

In a statement on Sunday, the Indian External Affairs Ministry said that PM Modi will be the guest of honor in the Independence Day celebrations.

PM Modi will be flying to Male’ after wrapping up an official visit to the UK from July 23-24.

During his Male’ visit, PM Modi will meet President Muizzu and hold discussions on issues of mutual interest.

According to the External Affairs Ministry, the two leaders will also take stock of the progress in the implementation of the India-Maldives Joint Vision for a ‘Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership’, adopted during President Muizzu’s state visit to India in October 2024.

External Affairs Ministry said the visit reflects the importance India attaches to its maritime neighbor Maldives, which it said continues to hold a special place in India's 'Neighborhood First' policy and Vision MAHASAGAR or ‘Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions’, which is the country’s new vision for the Global South.

“The visit will provide an opportunity for both sides to further deepen and strengthen the close bilateral relationship,” added the External Affairs Ministry.

According to the President Muizzu’s Office, PM Modi will also be inaugurating several joint projects, and overseeing the exchange of “a number of Memoranda of Understanding aimed at deepening cooperation across various sectors of mutual interest” during his visit.

In its Sunday statement, the President’s Office did not say PM Modi was the guest of honor of Independence Day celebration, but did acknowledge that visit will coincide with Maldives’ 60th Independence Day on July 26, as well as the 60th anniversary of the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between the Maldives and India.

President’s Office said this makes the visit one of “profound significance.”

Elected to office on a pledge to expel Indian troops from the Maldives, relations between Male’ and New Delhi had been strained in the early days of President Muizzu’s administration.

Things escalated further three months into office when three deputy ministers made disparaging remarks regarding India and Indian Prime Minister Modi following a social media post promoting India’s Lakshadweep as an alternative tourist destination to the Maldives.

Speaking to reporters after concluding a state visit to China the same month, President Muizzu said that Maldives wasn’t any country’s backyard and that the country cannot be bullied just because its small – remarks that were widely believed to be directed at India.

But despite the earlier turmoil, officials from both Male’ and Delhi repeatedly expressed keenness to repairing relations, and engaged in several high-level visits, including two by President Muizzu himself.

Assistance by New Delhi, including a USD 400 million currency swap agreement signed between the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) back in October 2024 has also been crucial boosting Maldives’ foreign exchange (FX) reserves, thereby alleviating imminent external liquidity strains.

The upcoming visit by Modi, which will mark his third visit to the Maldives but his first during President Muizzu’s administration, is expected to cement the ties between Male’ and New Delhi.