Yashaswani Chauhan, Pune
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu is being sharply criticized for quickly changing his attitude toward India during his current visit to New Delhi. Muizzu, who was once articulating the “India Out” campaign, has now demanded friendly relations with India, which has been met with criticism from political rivals and social media trolls.
Muizzu ascended to the presidency in November 2023 year, he campaigned on an anti-India platform, demanding the removal of Indian soldiers in the Maldives. In May, shortly after his election, some 90 Indian soldiers were pulled out of the country. He appealed to many Maldivians who abhor India’s influence in their country, which fetched him the victory in the election.
But in his current visit to India, Muizzu has turned all around, stressing the need for India to be a strategic partner. He has had audiences with Indian President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and other chiefs to map ways of boosting bilateral economic partnerships and defense relations, among other areas of cooperation between India and Uganda.
This sudden change has raised opposition eyebrows especially politicians in the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). Current MDP president and former foreign minister Abdulla Shahid sarcastically described Muizzu’s government as naïve and inexperienced. Shahid said that diplomacy cannot be pursued based on ‘deception’ and welcomed the positive development of reviving the bilateral ties between India and Maldives which were a focal area under the previous president Solih’s pro-Indian presidency.
Ex-President Mohamed Nasheed also spoke over the issues, said India and Maldives are natural allies, and congratulated both Muizzu and Modi for the new beginning. Nasheed, who is often credited for having cemented the India-Maldives relationship during his presidency, also said this was the inevitable change.
The Indian and Maldivian social media activists have immediately dubbed Muizzu’s change of heart as deceitful to criticize India by hook and crook to gain votes. Some cited the social costs of the sour relations with Maldives particularly about the economy & image under attack during the period of no relations with India.
During the present year, India has supported the Maldives by offering some amount of financial assistance like the rolling over of a 50 Million US Treasury Bill which shows a positive change in relations.