India-Maldives Relations Reset

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed support for India’s “time-tested” friendship with the Maldives.

• Modi held talks with top Maldivian leaders, including Vice-President Uz. Hussain Mohamed Latheef, parliamentary Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla, former President Mohamed Nasheed, and Opposition members.

• His visit marked a major reset in bilateral ties, which had soured after Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu’s 2023 campaign.

• Muizzu emphasized the need for external resources and technical expertise, balancing Maldives’ sovereignty with its need for external support.

• He addressed the Maldives National Defence Force and the Maldives Police Service on the country’s Independence Day, aiming to balance the country’s sovereignty with its need for external support.