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President Mohamed Muizzu, accompanied by First Lady Sajidha Mohamed and a delegation of senior government officials, embarked on an official visit to China on January 7. The invitation for the visit was extended by the President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping.
The official visit is scheduled to continue until January 12, and a group of local journalists is also accompanying the President. The visit of Maldives’ President to China came amid a diplomatic row with India after PM Modi’s visit to Lakshadweep.
Meanwhile, a tweet from Maldives Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment Mariyam Shiuna, posted days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Lakshadweep, has sparked significant social media backlash. Numerous Indian celebrities, including actor Akshay Kumar and former cricketer Aakash Chopra, have joined the chorus advocating for a boycott of the island nation.
Indians are also reportedly canceling their trips to the Maldives amidst its escalating diplomatic dispute with India. Numerous reports and social media posts suggest that a significant number of individuals have abandoned their holiday plans following alleged ‘Hinduphobic’ remarks made by a Maldives minister against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The hashtag ‘BoycottMaldives’ has gained momentum, emerging as a prominent trend on social media platforms in India.
India expressed apprehensions regarding the recent “derogatory” comments made by Maldives Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment, Mariyam Shiuna, against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sources suggest that the Indian High Commissioner in Male has addressed the issue with the Maldivian government. This development coincides with the Maldives President Mohammad Muizzu-led government distancing itself from the remarks made by its minister.
As Mint reported in December last year, the Maldivian government announced its intention to terminate a hydrography agreement signed with India in 2019. This decision followed the request from the newly elected administration of Muizzu for India to withdraw its troops from the island country, just a day after Muizzu assumed office.
While India has traditionally maintained cordial relations with the Maldives, offering administrative and infrastructure support, some Maldivian politicians have expressed discomfort with India’s presence in the archipelago. The Maldives has a history of oscillating between alliances with India and China. Under the new government in Male, what developments are shaping the current state of India-Maldives relations? Mint explores the situation.
Muizzu, after taking over as a president last year, took a pledge to remove Indian soldiers and alter Maldives’s India-first policy. Muizzu’s recent assertion about removing Indian troops from the islands within a week of his inauguration captured attention.
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Published: 08 Jan 2024, 01:09 PM IST
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