Male: Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu announced on Saturday that he would be honoured to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony, indicating a positive direction in bilateral ties despite recent strains.

Within hours of taking office on 17 November last year, Muizzu demanded the removal of approximately 88 Indian military personnel from the Maldives, causing significant tension. The military personnel were repatriated from three aviation platforms and replaced by civilians from India by the 10 May deadline set by Muizzu.

Muizzu's remarks about attending the swearing-in ceremony followed his acceptance of the invitation to New Delhi. Modi will be administered the oath of office on Sunday for his third consecutive term as Prime Minister.

President Muizzu's office confirmed his acceptance of the invitation, stating that his visit for this historic event would demonstrate an improvement in bilateral relations.

Munu Mahawar, India's High Commissioner to the Maldives, delivered the invitation letter to President Muizzu during a courtesy call at the President's Office. During the meeting, the High Commissioner extended greetings from Prime Minister Modi and expressed that the Prime Minister is looking forward to President Muizzu's attendance.

President Muizzu expressed his gratitude for the invitation and his anticipation of working with Prime Minister Modi to strengthen relations between the two countries. He noted that the Maldives-India relationship is moving in a positive direction, as evidenced by this visit.

However, Muizzu's office did not disclose his departure date for India.

Earlier on Wednesday, Muizzu congratulated Modi and voiced his desire to work with the Indian Prime Minister to advance bilateral ties. “Congratulations to Prime Minister @narendramodi and the BJP and BJP-led NDA on their success in the 2024 Indian General Election, for the third consecutive term.

“I look forward to working together to advance our shared interests in pursuit of shared prosperity and stability for our two countries,” Muizzu posted on X (formerly Twitter).

This will be the pro-China President's first official visit to India. Unlike his predecessors, who made their first official visit to New Delhi, Muizzu travelled to Turkey first and then to China for his first state visit in January.

The swearing-in ceremony is expected to witness the presence of leaders from neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Mauritius, and Seychelles, as part of India's ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy. PTI