September 11, 2024: The Maldives is witnessing a political shake-up as two junior ministers, who had criticized Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have resigned from their roles. This development comes on the heels of an announcement that President Mohamed Muizzu is set to visit India "very soon."
The resignation of these ministers, who had been suspended earlier this year, aligns with efforts to mend strained relations between Male and New Delhi. Muizzu's upcoming visit will be his first official trip to India since he took office in November 2023, with both nations working to finalize the visit's schedule.
The diplomatic thaw between the Maldives and India has been marked by Muizzu’s attendance at Modi’s swearing-in ceremony in June and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s visit to Male last month. Relations had been strained last year when Muizzu, seen as pro-China, demanded the immediate withdrawal of Indian military personnel from the Maldives. This request had initially jeopardized ties, but the situation has improved since India replaced its military staff with civilian employees from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).