Why Maldives foreign minister’s India visit may be his most challenging assignment yet

New Delhi will be hosting a VIP starting today until 10 May and it’s going to be closely watched by all in the country. Today, Maldivian foreign minister Moosa Zameer will travel to India and meet his Indian counterpart, S Jaishankar. And as per the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the two leaders will sit for ‘discussions on bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest’.

Notably, this will be the first official visit of Foreign Minister Zameer to India since assuming office.

But if one thinks it will be a smooth ride, think again. The Maldivian minister’s visit comes at a time when ties between the two countries, India and the Maldives, are on a downward trajectory.

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Maldives’ Zameer visits India

Moosa Zameer , the Maldivian foreign minister, will be travelling to New Delhi and meeting S Jaishankar “for discussions on bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest”.

The MEA in its statement wrote, “Maldives is India’s key maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and Foreign Minister Zameer’s visit is expected to lend further momentum to the bilateral cooperation between the two countries.”

While this will be Zameer’s first visit to India since assuming office, this won’t be the first interaction between S Jaishankar and the Zameer. The two leaders had earlier met in Uganda’s Kampala back in January.

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Met Maldives FM @MoosaZameer today in Kampala.

A frank conversation on 🇮🇳-🇲🇻 ties. Also discussed NAM related issues. pic.twitter.com/P7ResFlCaK

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 18, 2024

All eyes will be on the meet as it comes between the frosty relations between the two countries owing to the strong anti-India rhetoric emanating from Male. Additionally, it comes just a day before the deadline imposed by Maldivian president Mohamed Muizzu for the complete repatriation of all Indian military personnel from Maldives.

India Out campaign and Muizzu

Last September, the Maldives elected Mohamed Muizzu as its new president and with that came a realignment in the ties with the island nation. This is largely owing to Muizzu’s pro-China stance. In fact, the highlight of Muizzu’s election campaign was the slogan “ India Out ”, calling for all Indian military personnel leave the country.

Shortly after he was sworn in, he reiterated his call for Indian troops to leave the country in phases — the first group leaving on 10 March and the second group departing the island by 10 May 2024.

He also refused to renew the current hydrographic agreement. The agreement, signed in 2019, allowed India to comprehensively study the territorial waters of the island nation and was due for renewal in June 2024.

“It has also been officially informed that the Maldivian state will not renew the agreement which gives India substantial powers to draw charts of Maldives boundaries and the seabed,” said Muizzu, according to Adhadhu.

In January, Muizzu had also said that his “country’s small size doesn’t give anyone the licence to bully it” — a jibe at India. On his return from China, Muizzu was quoted as saying, “The Maldives is not in any country’s backyard. We may be small but that doesn’t give you the license to bully us.”

Muizzu’s ministers and Modi

Earlier in January, a huge diplomatic row also broke out between New Delhi and Male over PM Modi’s Lakshadweep visit. While many were enamoured with Modi’s images of strolling and snorkelling in the Indian archipelago, some in island nation saw it as an attempt to draw visitors away from its sandy white beaches and high-end island resorts popular with celebrities.

Recently, I had the opportunity to be among the people of Lakshadweep. I am still in awe of the stunning beauty of its islands and the incredible warmth of its people. I had the opportunity to interact with people in Agatti, Bangaram and Kavaratti. I thank the people of the… pic.twitter.com/tYW5Cvgi8N

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 4, 2024

In reaction to Modi’s images, three government deputy ministers posted derogatory remarks against Modi on X, with one of them even calling the PM “a clown” and “a puppet of Israel”.

This angered several Indians, spawning the ‘ #ExploreIndianIslands ’ trend in which celebrities asked people to ditch visiting the archipelago and explore Indian tourist spots. Responding to the row, Maldives suspended the three ministers, but the damage, it seems, was done. In fact, Indian tourists to the neighbouring country has dipped significantly, affecting their economy.

Maldives’ U-turn

However, after the anti-India rhetoric, Muizzu has attempted to strike a reconciliatory note, with many stating that Zameer’s visit is a step in that direction.

In March, Muizzu called India its “closest ally” and urged New Delhi to provide debt relief to his country.

And it’s not just that. In an interview to news agency PTI, Maldives’ tourism minister Ibrahim Faisal also made a plea to Indians to return to the archipelago. “We have a history. Our newly elected government also wants to work together (with India). We always promote peace and a friendly environment. Our people and the government will give a warm welcome to Indian arrivals. As the tourism minister, I want to tell Indians to please be a part of Maldives’ tourism. Our economy depends on tourism.”

Earlier in April, the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators also met with Munu Mahawar, the Indian high commissioner to the Maldives “to explore collaborative efforts in tourism promotion”.

Will Maldives’ gamble now pay off? Let’s wait and watch.

With inputs from agencies