Muizzu’s anti-India stance was a poll gimmick? Sri Lanka president says ‘he told me…’

In an exclusive interview with Firstpost’s Managing Editor Palki Sharma, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe touched upon Maldives and President Mohamed Muizzu’s relationship with India.

He hinted at Muizzu having taken an anti-India stance in the island country to edge ahead in the elections.

In 2023,  speaking of Muizzu’s rise to power on the back of an “India Out” campaign, Wickremesinghe, had told Firstpost that the Maldivian president should “go slow” on his approach towards India.

When asked if he thinks Muizzu has heeded to his advice, the Sri Lankan president said, “He is certainly more friendly with India now.”

Wickremesinghe further said that Muizzu told him after the polls that regarding India “he had to make some promises in the election. That’s what he had to do.”

Commenting on the current relationship between Muizzu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, “I was there in person when Mr Modi was sworn in and I found the chemistry between them having really improved.”

He did not speculate on why such a change had occurred, though.

India-Maldives relations

The relationship between long-time allies New Delhi and Male had hit a bump when Mohamed Muizzu took the office of President in the country. He had, during his election campaigning, vowed to remove a contingent of dozens of Indian military personnel from the island country. After he came to power, India withdrew the troops from Maldives.

The Indian troops operated and maintained two helicopters and Dornier aircraft gifted previously by India to the Maldives.

However, it qasn’t long before Muizzu made a U-turn on his previous remarks and hailed India as a friend of Maldives.

After all, India has always been a “first responder” to the Maldives in times of crisis. From development projects to financial assistance packages, New Delhi has a big stake in the island nation