PM MODI's VISIT TO THE MALDIVES IS IMPORTANT FOR STRENGTHENING BILATERAL RELATIONS

Prime Minister Modi arrived in the Maldives on 25 July 2025 for the second leg of his two-nation tour. He was welcomed with a guard of honour. President Mohammed Muizzu himself arrived at the airport to receive him.

                 

This will be the first state visit by a head of government after President Muizzu assumes office in November 2023. This visit is also significant during the tenure of the Mohammad Muizzu government, as it marks the first time relations between the two countries have been strained.

 

The Maldives is an important partner in terms of India's Neighborhood First Policy (mutual and holistic advancement for security and development in the regions). India is one of the largest trading partners of the Maldives, with bilateral trade worth about $500 million.

 

India-Maldives relations have been full of ups and downs in the last few years. Muizzu won the 2023 elections with the slogan 'India Out', but the meeting between PM Modi and Muizzu at the UN COP-28 conference in Dubai in December 2023 marked the beginning of improvement in relations.

SIX MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING (MoUs)

Six Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were exchanged between the two leaders in the areas of fisheries and aquaculture, meteorology, digital public infrastructure, UPI, Indian Pharmacopoeia, and concessional credit facilities. 

VIRTUAL INAUGURATION  

The two leaders also virtually inaugurated road and drainage system projects in Addu city and 6 high-impact community development projects in other cities. The Prime Minister gifted 3,300 social housing units and 72 vehicles to the Maldives National Defence Force and immigration officials.

 

The Prime Minister also handed over two units of the Arogya Maitree Health Cube [Bhishma] to the Government of the Maldives. Equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment, the Cube can accommodate up to 200 injured people and can accommodate a team of six medical personnel for up to 72 hours.

 

INDIA-MALDIVES RELATIONS EXPECTED TO IMPROVE FROM VISIT

This visit will help advance our joint vision of a comprehensive economic and maritime security partnership and strengthen our cooperation for peace, prosperity, and stability in the Indian Ocean region. The Prime Minister expressed confidence that this visit will yield concrete results, benefit the people, and promote India's Neighborhood First policy.

 

Last year, the two countries forged a joint vision for a 'Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership', which has become the bedrock of their relationship. This visit is a great opportunity for India to enhance trade, education, technology, and regional cooperation.

CHIEF GUEST AT INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION  

 

On July 26, Prime Minister Modi was the chief guest at the 60th anniversary celebrations of Maldives' independence. This visit is considered important after the stagnation in relations between the two countries during Muizzu's reign. It is worth noting that for the first time since 2017, Maldives has invited a foreign leader as the chief guest for the Independence Day celebrations.

 

Apart from the military parade, children and traditional artists gave colourful cultural performances during the ceremony. It is an honour for PM Modi to participate in the 60^th Independence Day celebrations of Maldives. He greeted the people of Maldives.

DEEP BONDS OF FRIENDSHIP AND TRUST

 

The two leaders highlighted the deep bonds of friendship and trust forged over centuries, which are further strengthened by the strong ties between the people of the two countries. In 2021, nearly three lakh Indians visited the Maldives, the highest ever in recent times. This number was 22% of the total Indians visiting the island. This trend continued in 2022 and 2023 as well, and last year, Indians were the largest number of people to visit the Maldives.

 

The two leaders discussed cooperation in the areas of development partnership, infrastructure support, capacity building, climate action, and health. They called for further strengthening defense and maritime security cooperation and noted cooperation between the two countries under the Colombo Security Summit in this regard.

 

The two leaders said that as partners of the Global South, they will continue to work on issues such as climate change, promoting renewable energy, natural disaster risk reduction, and climate science for the benefit of the planet and its people.

 

Posting on social media on the release of a postage stamp to mark 60 years of India-Maldives friendship, PM Modi said it commemorates "a most precious friendship".

PM Modi's visit to the Maldives was very important for strengthening bilateral relations. During this, India gave a line of credit of Rs. 4,850 crore to the Maldives and talked about the Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

 

Observers of India-Maldives relations see the renewed cooperation between the two countries as a necessary and positive development. Former Maldives Foreign Minister Ahmed Shaheed, currently a law professor at the University of Essex in Britain, said Mr Modi's visit was "the most impressive visit by any Indian leader to the Maldives so far." 

PM MODI's VISIT TO THE MALDIVES CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF THE WHOLE WORLD

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to the Maldives attracted global attention. The visit received extensive coverage in the international media and was seen as a sign of a change in India-Maldives relations, especially at a time when China is also trying to increase its influence in the Maldives.

 

Some Indian media organizations have presented Modi's visit as a victory for India and a reduction in China's influence in the Maldives. Singapore's Channel News Asia said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Maldives will give a new shape to relations with the Maldives.

 

The American newspaper Washington Post wrote that this two-day visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was very important for the Maldives. This two-day visit was considered important given India's ambition to strengthen its hold on the sea routes in the Indian Ocean.

 

Pakistan's media house, The Express Tribune, has written on its website that at the end of Prime Minister Modi's two-day visit, President Muizzu described this visit on social media as decisive for the relations between the two countries.

 

A report by German media house Deutsche Welle has explained this visit not only in the context of political events but also in the context of the geographical importance of the Maldives. The report also said that despite being famous in the world for luxury tourism, this area of the Maldives is strategically very sensitive.

 

President Mohammed Muizzu said, "He (Modi) is a wonderful person who is very keen to build relations between neighbours. The Maldives and India have a very good relationship that is centuries old. With his leadership and cooperation between our two countries, I am sure it will prosper even more in the days to come."

 

President Muizzu acknowledged that India's partnership is vital to realising these ambitions. Reaffirming the Maldives' commitment to further strengthening this special relationship, Muizzu wished for a prosperous Maldives-India partnership that brings lasting peace and prosperity to both countries.