NEW DELHI: The Minister of Earth Sciences, Kiren Rijiju, will represent India at the inaugural ceremony of the new President of Maldives, Mohamed Muizzu, on November 17. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will be occupied with the Voice of Global South Summit taking place the same day, prompting the decision to send Rijiju.
“At the invitation of the President-elect of Maldives Dr Mohamed Muizzu, Minister of Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju will visit Maldives from November 16-18, 2023, to represent India at the inaugural ceremony of the presidency,” said the Ministry of External Affairs.
Muizzu, the pro-China president-elect of Maldives, defeated incumbent President Ibrahim Solih on September 30, winning by nearly 54 per cent of votes. “Maldives is India’s key maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region and holds a special place in the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and the Neighborhood First Policy,” the MEA stated.
This high-level ministerial representation from India at the inaugural ceremony underscores India’s commitment to further deepen substantive cooperation and robust people-to-people ties between the two countries, added the MEA.
PM Modi had attended President Solih’s swearing-in ceremony on November 17, 2018. Solih and his Maldivian Democratic Party maintained a firm ‘India first’ policy, and the election was considered a referendum on Maldives’ foreign policy orientation.
Indo-Maldives relations
In 2018, India pledged $500 million in defence aid to Maldives, strengthening their defence ties. In 2021, a joint maritime surveillance system was established to enhance maritime security. Bilateral trade hit $280 million the same year, showcasing robust economic cooperation. The nations also share rich cultural and people-to-people exchanges.