Jaishankar on three-day visit to Maldives

External affairs minister S. Jaishankar will embark on a three-day visit to the Maldives amid efforts to renew ties between the two nations. 

Jaishankar had previously visited Maldives in January last year.

Bilateral ties between the two countries took a beating after pro-China president Mohamed Muizzu assumed office in November 2023. 

Muizzu, who contested the presidential election on an anti-India plank, demanded withdrawal of Indian military personnel operating three military platforms in the island nation.

However, New Delhi and Male have worked to repair the relationship in the last few months. Muizzu also visited India for the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term. 

“Maldives is India’s key maritime neighbor and an important partner in India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ Policy and our Vision ‘SAGAR’ i.e. Security and Growth for All in the Region,” the ministry of external affairs said. 

The visit is aimed at strengthening the close partnership between the two countries and to explore avenues to enhance the bilateral relationship further, it said.  

While India-Maldives ties had been on a downward spiral since Muizzu took over, it hit an all-time low in January after three Maldivian officials’ remarks on India triggered a major diplomatic row. 

Three junior ministers took to social media to mock Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after his visit to Lakshadweep.