President Muizzu denies 'India Out' agenda, says big thing about India

India-Maldives News: Maldives President Mohammed Muizzu has made it clear that there is no agenda of "India Out" in his country's foreign policy. He made this statement at the 'Deans Leadership Series' program organized at Princeton University in the US while attending the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Muizzu said that the presence of any foreign military in their country is a serious issue for the people of Maldives, but this does not mean that Maldives is against any particular country.

Concern over the presence of foreign military

According to Maldives news portal 'Adhadhu.com', President Muizzu said in his statement, "We are not against any country. This is not an agenda of 'India Out'. But the people of Maldives consider the presence of any foreign soldier in their country a serious problem." Muizzu stressed that the people of Maldives do not want even a single foreign soldier to stay in their country.

This statement comes at a time when the presence of Indian military personnel in the Maldives under Muizzu's leadership was being questioned continuously. Muizzu had also raised his voice against foreign military intervention during his election campaign, especially stressing on India's military presence, which his supporters consider a "threat to Maldives' sovereignty".

Action on insulting Prime Minister Modi

President Muizzu also made it clear that he has taken action against the deputy ministers who insulted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media. He said, "No one has the right to insult any person, be it a leader or a common citizen. Every person has a reputation, and I have taken appropriate steps against such comments."

This statement came at a time when Maldives' deputy ministers made critical comments on social media after Modi's visit to Lakshadweep. These comments were in the context when Prime Minister Modi went to Lakshadweep to inaugurate several development projects, which some people saw as a threat to Maldives' tourism sector.

Tension in India-Maldives relations

Relations between India and Maldives have been tense for some time. After assuming the presidency in November 2023, Muizzu had urged India to withdraw its military personnel. This move soured relations between the two countries. India had withdrawn its military personnel from Maldives by 10 May 2024 after Muizzu's request. Under Muizzu's leadership, Maldives made clear its inclination towards China, which is affecting diplomatic and geopolitical equations with India.

Controversy over Lakshadweep visit

After Prime Minister Modi's visit to Lakshadweep, some Maldives leaders had objected to the visit. They believed that Lakshadweep was being projected as a rival to the tourism sector of Maldives. The economy of Maldives is heavily dependent on tourism, and for this reason the region has special importance in the country's political and economic strategies. Some leaders in the Maldives government feared that the development of Lakshadweep could harm Maldives' tourism industry.

Future Challenges and Opportunities

Balancing relations with India may be a challenging task for Maldives in the times to come, especially when China's growing presence is gaining more influence in this small island nation. Under Muizzu's leadership, Maldives has tried to adopt a balanced diplomatic approach, trying not to lean in favor of any one country.

However, it will be interesting to see how Maldives handles its internal and external issues and how it strengthens or balances its relations with India.