Page 8 - India Maldives Ties

China fully backs sovereignty of Maldives, says President Mohamed Muizzu

During his just-concluded visit to China, Muizzu, regarded as a pro-China leader, sought to align Maldives closer to Beijing and both countries elevated their ties to a strategic partnership

China fully supports sovereignty of Maldives: Muizzu amid row with India

Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu has spoken highly of his country's strategic ties with China, saying the two countries respect each other and Beijing fully supports the Indian Ocean island's sovereignty. Muizzu's comments came amid an unease in the Maldives' bilateral ties with India after he took office in November last year. Muizzu, who returned to the Maldives on Saturday after a high-profile state visit to China, noted that China has provided assistance to the development of the Maldives since establishing diplomatic relations in 1972. During his just-concluded visit to China, Muizzu, regarded as a pro-China leader, sought to align Maldives closer to Beijing and both countries elevated their ties to a strategic partnership. He also said China's Belt and Road Initiative has taken bilateral relations to a new level. China is not a country that would interfere with the internal affairs of the Maldives, which is why the two countries have a strong relationship, Muizzu was quote

President Muizzu's party loses Male Mayoral poll amid India-Maldives row

In a setback to Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, the pro-India opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has secured a landslide victory in the capital Male's Mayoral election. The MDP candidate, Adam Azim, has been elected as the new mayor of Male, a post held by Muizzu till recently. Muizzu resigned from the position to contest the presidential elections last year. The Maldives media reported Azim's win as a landslide and victory by a large margin. The MDP is headed by pro-India former president Mohammad Solih, who was defeated by Muizzu, a pro-China leader, in the presidential elections. The interim results show that Azim won with 45 per cent of the vote while Azima Shakoor of Muizzu's People's National Congress (PNC) received 29 per cent, PSM News reported. Others who vied for the mayoral seat included Saif Fathih, the candidate of The Democrats, and independent candidates Hussain Waheed and Ali Shuaib. The poll on Saturday was marked by a low turnout, according to ...

Maldivian President Muizzu asks India to withdraw troops by March 15

Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu has asked India to withdraw its military personnel from his country by March 15, a senior official here said on Sunday, nearly two months after Male sought their removal. According to the latest government figures, there are 88 Indian military personnel in the Maldives. In a press briefing, Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim, the public policy secretary at the President's Office, said that President Muizzu has formally asked India to withdraw its military personnel by March 15, the SunOnline newspaper reported. Indian military personnel cannot stay in the Maldives. This is the policy of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and that of this administration, he said. Maldives and India have set up a high-level core group to negotiate the withdrawal of troops. The group held its first meeting at the Foreign Ministry Headquarters in Male' on Sunday morning. The meeting was also attended by Indian High Commissioner Munu Mahawar, the report said. Nazim confirmed the meeting

Maldives calls for withdrawal of Indian troops; Core group meeting held

The two sides decided to set up the core group on the contentious issue following a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldivian President Muizzu on the sidelines of the COP28 summit

Maldives president's party loses Male poll amid diplomatic row with India

In a setback to Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, the pro-India opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has secured a landslide victory in the capital Male's Mayoral election. The MDP candidate, Adam Azim, has been elected as the new mayor of Male, a post held by Muizzu till recently. Muizzu resigned from the position to contest the presidential elections last year. The Maldives media reported Azim's win as a landslide and victory by a large margin. The MDP is headed by pro-India former president Mohammad Solih, who was defeated by Muizzu, a pro-China leader, in the presidential elections. With 41 boxes counted, Azim has taken a huge lead with 5,303 votes. His rival Aishath Azima Shakoor of Muizzu's People's National Congress (PNC) got 3,301 votes, Maldives' Sun Online news portal reported. The poll on Saturday was marked by a low turnout, according to reports. The Mayoral election victory is expected to revive the political fortunes of the MDP, which still holds a majority

India-Maldives row: Alliance Air starts additional flights to Lakshadweep

Amid the ongoing India-Maldives row, Alliance Air the only airline that operates to Lakshadweep has started additional flights

Lakshadweep's 'one-stop' tourism guide website launched by Thrillophilia

Lakshadweep tourism: Rajasthan-based travel platform Thrillophilia has announced a dedicated online platform for Lakshadweep for all travel-related information

3 Maldivian ministers suspended indefinitely for remarks against PM Modi

The Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI) has strongly condemned derogatory remarks made by officials in the tourism-dependent country

Maldives' ruling coalition deployed anti-India sentiments during 2023 polls

The ruling coalition of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and the People's National Congress (PNC) deployed anti-India sentiments and attempted to spread disinformation around this theme during the on the 2023 presidential elections, according to a report issued by the European Union. The European Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) to Maldives published its final report on Tuesday on the two rounds of election that took place on September 9 and 30 last year. Following an 11-week-long observation in the archipelagic nation in the Indian Ocean, upon the invitation of national authorities, the EU EOM found the campaign run by the PPM-PNC coalition was based on fears of Indian influences on the nation. "EU EOM observers noted instances of derogatory language, directed towards the president, on the side of PPM-PNC, reads the report. Their campaign included anti-Indian sentiments, based on fears of Indian influences and anxiety regarding a presence of Indian military personnel insid

Chinese arrivals in Maldives rose to third spot in 2023, shows data

In CY 2023, Chinese footfall jump­ed to the third spot. They are very close to the numbers from India and Russia and may soon soar to the number 1 spot

Maldives Prez Muizzu meets Chinese counterpart Xi amid row with India

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday held talks with his Maldivian counterpart Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a five-day state visit, amid a diplomatic row with India over derogatory remarks by his ministers against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. President Muizzu was accorded a red carpet welcome and a 21-gun salute. Official media reported that Xi and Muizzu held talks, without sharing the details. Muizzu, who is regarded as a pro-China leader, is visiting China amid the row with India after some Maldivian ministers posted derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Modi leading to a spate of cancellations of reservations by Indian tourists, who constitute the largest number of visitors to the tourism-dependent island nation. Besides talks with Xi, Muizzu is expected to meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang and other senior officials before his return to Male on January 12. Muizzu reached Beijing last night after staying in the Chinese city of Fujian for two days. In his address to the Mal

Anti-India narratives in Maldives fostered by foreign powers: Male official

Amid an ongoing diplomatic row with the Maldives, Syed Tanveer Nasreen, the former director of the Indian Cultural Centre in the island nation, has underscored that the prevailing situation is not isolated but a manifestation of a prolonged anti-India sentiment, fostered by foreign powers. Nasreen, who served as the director of the Indian Cultural Centre at the High Commission of India in Male, Republic of Maldives, from 2019 to 2023, shared insights into the growing influence of China and Pakistan in countering India's soft power. In an interview with PTI, she lamented the ongoing diplomatic row as "unfortunate" and cautioned against reactionary sentiments such as the "Boycott Maldives" movement, viewing them as potential fuel for the "India Out" campaign and undue importance of the now-suspended Maldivian ministers' remarks on social media, targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "What has been going on is very unfortunate, and I condemn the remarks made by the now-deposed three .

Lakshadweep plans tourism expansion amid row over remarks against PM Modi

According to officials in the Union Territory, several proposals have been sent to the Union government to harness the latent tourism potential in the island cluster

Highlights: Indians' boycott will hit us hard, says ex-Maldives minister

Lakshadweep row highlights: Catch all the highlights on India-Maldives spat

Won't accept derogatory comments on our PM: Sharad Pawar on Maldives row

In a press conference, the NCP chief stressed the importance of respecting the Prime Minister and his post

Backlash in paradise: Maldives tourism dips after comments on PM Modi

Former Member of Parliament from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Bishnu Pada Ray, condemned the unjust criticism from Maldivian ministers

'India our 911 call', says former Maldives minister amid row. Top points

The Maldives government has suspended three deputy ministers for making disparaging remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Maldives president courts investors in China as ties with India sag

Muizzu said his government was keen to explore partnerships under Belt and Road, including the expansion of the country's central airport and commercial port

Maldives tourism body MATI condemns derogatory comments against PM Modi

Terming India as one of the closest neighbours and allies of the Maldives, MATI noted that India has always been a first responder to various crises throughout the history of the island country