‘We are your most trusted friends’ When Muizzu corrected the mistake made with China, India filled Maldives’ bag

When Maldives President Mohammad Muizzu came to power, his slogan was ‘India Out’. Muizzu, who openly spoke against India, had embraced China. But now the situation has changed. During PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Maldives, everything seemed changed. There was warmth in the relations, not coldness. There were Modi’s pictures on the streets of Maldives and he had a lot of gifts from India in his bag. India agreed to give a line of credit of Rs 4,850 crore directly to Maldives. With this, Maldives’ loan payment conditions on the LoC were eased.

8 major agreements, China got a befitting reply

A total of 8 important agreements were signed between India and Maldives during the meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Muizzu.

Agreement on Line of Credit of ₹4,850 crores.

-Revised agreement with relaxation in loan payment terms.

-Agreement on Reference Terms regarding Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

-MoU on fisheries and aquaculture cooperation.

-Agreement between Indian Meteorological Institute and Maldives Meteorological Service.

-Partnership agreement on digital transformation.

-Maldives’ recognition of Indian Pharmacopoeia.

-Agreement to implement India’s UPI in Maldives.

PM Modi’s statement, ‘We are not just neighbors, we are fellow travelers’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, ‘Best wishes from India on the completion of 60 years of Maldives’ Independence Day. I thank President Muizzu for inviting me as the chief guest on this historic occasion.’ He further said, ‘The relations between India and Maldives are not 60 years old, but centuries old. The postage stamp released today shows that we are not just neighbors but also fellow travelers of each other.

Maldives President Mohammad Muizzu said, ‘I am happy to announce the start of negotiations on a free trade agreement between India and Maldives. This historic initiative is an important step towards strengthening our economic partnership…’

India-Maldives friendship, China’s heartbeat faster

Muizzu has now understood that he cannot survive by sidelining India. He made a deal with China but it failed on the ground. Now in exchange for friendship with India, he is getting everything that China used to promise but did not fulfill: soft loans, technical help, digital access and public support. This visit of Modi has shown that India’s diplomacy is not just strategic, but also heartfelt. And Muizzu corrected the mistake in time which could have cost him dearly.