President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu and First Lady Madam Sajidha Mohamed were formally welcomed in India this morning with a grand ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. The state visit, which runs from October 6 to 10, marks President Muizzu’s first official visit to India since assuming office in November 2023.
The Maldivian President and First Lady were greeted by Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As part of the ceremonial welcome, President Muizzu was honored with a 21-gun salute and inspected the Guard of Honour.
Following the ceremony, the President and First Lady made a visit to Raj Ghat, where they paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.
The high-level state visit aims to strengthen bilateral ties between the Maldives and India, with a series of meetings scheduled between President Muizzu and key Indian officials. In addition to meeting with President Murmu and Prime Minister Modi, the President is expected to discuss areas of cooperation spanning regional security, economic partnerships, and cultural exchanges.
The visit underscores the growing significance of Maldives-India relations. President Muizzu will also visit Mumbai and Bengaluru, where he is slated to attend business forums aimed at bolstering economic ties between the two nations.
This trip comes at a crucial time, as the Maldives continues to prioritize foreign relations that are pivotal for the nation’s development. President Muizzu’s visit is expected to further enhance cooperation between the two countries under India’s “Neighbourhood First Policy” and SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision, which emphasizes regional security and growth.
The visit follows previous interactions between President Muizzu and Indian leadership, including a meeting with Prime Minister Modi on the sidelines of COP28 in Dubai, as well as President Muizzu’s participation in Modi’s swearing-in ceremony earlier this year.
