‘New Impetus To Friendly Ties’: India Welcomes Maldives President Muizzu

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday met Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu who arrived in New Delhi on Sunday, for his first bilateral visit to India, along with Sajidha Mohamed, the Maldivian First Lady.

“Pleased to call on President @MMuizzu today at the start of his State Visit to India. Appreciate his commitment to enhance relationship. Confident that his talks with PM @narendramodi tomorrow will give a new impetus to our friendly ties,” Jaishankar said in a post on social media site X.

Muizzu was welcomed by Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Kiriti Vardhan Singh. His visit, which will last from October 6-10, has come upon the official invitation of President Droupadi Murmu.

“President His Excellency Dr @MMuizzu and First Lady Madam Sajidha Mohamed arrive in New Delhi, India, for a state visit, at the invitation of Indian President, Her Excellency Droupadi Murmu. The official welcoming ceremony will take place tomorrow. The President and First Lady are accompanied by a high-level government delegation,” the Maldivian President’s Office said in a social media post.

Muizzu told news agency ANI at the recently concluded 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that he was planning to visit India as soon as possible.

This is the second time that Muizzu is visiting India this year. He earlier visited India this year to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this June.

Traditionally, nearly every Maldivian president made India their first foreign visit, but Muizzu broke with this convention by visiting Turkiye first, followed by China, after taking office.