Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has arrived in Delhi on his first bilateral visit since assuming power last year. During this visit, will hold meetings with President Draupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and other senior officials.

Muizzu is on a five-day visit to India with an aim to reset ties that came under some strain since November last year. Though the Maldivian president attended Prime Minister Modi’s swearing-in ceremony in June, it will be his first bilateral visit to India.

The ties between India and the Maldives came under severe strain since Muizzu, known for his pro-China leanings, took charge of the top office in November. Within hours of his oath, he had demanded the withdrawal of Indian military personnel from his country. Subsequently, the Indian military personnel were replaced by civilians. 

Muizzu also snubbed India by making his first foreign visit to China instead of New Delhi as was the case with his predecessors so far. 

Earlier this week, the Ministry of External Affairs said it is expected to lend further momentum to cooperation and robust people-to-people ties between the two countries. Besides Delhi, he will also visit Mumbai and Bengaluru where he will be attending business events.

“The 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 India’s ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’,” the MEA said in a statement.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar paid a three-day visit to the Maldives in August that prepared the grounds for Muizzu’s trip.