President Muizzu extends greetings on India’s Republic Day

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu conveyed greetings and well wishes to the President and Prime Minister of India on the occasion of the 75th Republic Day of the nation.

In separate messages to India’s President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Muizzu conveyed greetings and extended his heartfelt felicitations on commemorating the 75th Republic Day of the nation.

He conveyed well wishes from the Government and the people of the Maldives to the Government and the people of India. President Muizzu, underscoring that Maldives-India bond nurtured by centuries of friendship, mutual respect, and a deep sense of kinship, expressed hope for continued peace, progress, and prosperity for the Government and people of India for years to come.

The message comes at a time of strained relations between India and Maldives. The opposition has accused the current administration of efforts to forge closer relations with China, by sidelining neighboring India.

Meanwhile, President Muizzu, who shaped his presidential campaign on expelling Indian troops in the Maldives, has formally requested the Indian government to withdraw the troops before March 15th.

Prior to this, Malsha Shareef, Mariyam Shiuna and Abdulla Mahzoom Majid – three deputy ministers at the Youth Ministry – had made derogatory remarks against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media platform X, in response to a video promoting tourism in Lakshadweep. They have since been suspended.

The Maldivian Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying the opinions were personal, and do not represent the views of the Maldivian government.