Maldives Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer has acknowledged that relations with India faced "rough patches" in the initial days of President Mohammad Muizzu’s government but affirmed that both nations have now resolved their “misunderstandings.”
Speaking during his visit to Sri Lanka on Friday, Zameer emphasised the importance of maintaining close ties with key partners, particularly India and China.
Zameer admitted that tensions arose after President Muizzu's campaign to withdraw a small contingent of Indian troops stationed in the Maldives.
The foreign minister confirmed that the repatriation of Indian military personnel resolved the situation, ensuring a return to normalcy in bilateral relations.
“At the start of our government, we did have some rough patches (with India), you know,” Zameer was quoted as saying by The Edition newspaper.
He reiterated that the Maldives enjoys good relations with both China and India, which continue to support the archipelago.
Strains in the India-Maldives relationship have been evident since Muizzu assumed office. Known for his pro-China stance, Muizzu called for the removal of Indian personnel manning three aviation platforms gifted by India, within hours of his swearing-in.
This led to a period of negotiations, culminating in the replacement of military personnel with civilians.
Further complicating matters, three Maldivian deputy ministers posted controversial remarks about India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media, escalating tensions.
The Maldives Foreign Ministry quickly distanced itself from these comments, and the junior ministers were suspended.
In contrast to his predecessors, Muizzu’s first state visits were not to India but to Turkiye and China.
However, he did visit New Delhi on June 9 to attend Prime Minister Modi's swearing-in ceremony. According to his spokesperson, Muizzu is expected to make an official visit to India "very soon."
During his visit to Sri Lanka, Zameer dismissed the idea of seeking an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout to address the Maldives’ economic difficulties, characterising the issues as "temporary."
"We have bilateral partners who are very sensitive to our needs and our situation," he said, suggesting that the government is confident in tackling its fiscal challenges without external assistance from the IMF.
Zameer outlined economic reforms, including changes to the tax regime and efforts to reduce costs in government-owned enterprises, to alleviate the strain on the country's limited reserves.
Maldives' debt servicing commitments for the year amount to USD 409 million, with much of this owed to China and India. The Maldives’ foreign reserves stand at USD 444 million, with usable reserves at just USD 61 million.
Finance Minister Mohamed Shafeeq accompanied Zameer in Sri Lanka, where both officials held talks with Sri Lankan financial authorities to discuss the country's economic challenges.
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