"Significant Success": Maldives President On India Visit Amid Strained Ties

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu on Tuesday described his official visit to India to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "significant success" for the archipelagic nation.

Muizzu, who returned to Male on Tuesday morning, was accompanied by Maldives' Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer, and the country's Finance Minister Mohamed Shafeeq during the India visit.

"This trip has been a success for Maldives and for the region as well," Muizzu said while speaking to the Maldives' state broadcaster Public Service Media (PSM) in New Delhi before concluding the trip.

Reflecting on the visit, the Maldives President expressed his delight at being invited and thanked the Prime Minister of India for the invitation.

"The President emphasised that the strong ties between the two nations would bring prosperity to the Maldives and Maldivian citizens, as he expressed optimism for a successful bilateral relationship in the future," said a statement released by the Maldivian President's office, later in the day.

During his visit, Muizzu attended the swearing-in ceremony and the banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu in honour of the visiting dignitaries at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Sunday.

PM Modi, in his interaction with the visiting leaders, emphasised that in his third term, India will continue to work for peace, progress, and prosperity of the region in close partnership with other countries, even as it pursues its goal of having a 'Viksit Bharat 'by 2047.

Muizzu also separately met President Murmu and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday and discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

"Look forward to India and Maldives working together closely," Jaishankar posted on X after the meeting.

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