Malé, Maldives – Prime Minister Narendra Modi On Saturday, ended his important two-day trip to the Maldives. This was a big step forward in the relationship between India and the island nation. This was the first time a foreign head of state or government had come to the Maldives since President Mohamed Muizzu took office. PM Modi was the Guest of Honor during the 60th Independence Day celebrations in Malé’s Republic Square.
After the big celebrations with President Muizzu, Prime Minister Modi went on X (previously Twitter) to share his thoughts. He wrote that he was “deeply honored” to have seen the celebrations of freedom. Modi said, “The productive talks with President Muizzu will add significant energy to our bilateral relations,” to stress how well the relationship is going.
VIDEO | Malé: Prime Minister Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) witnesses dance performance of children at the 60th Independence Day celebrations programme of Maldives, being organised at Republic Square.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 26, 2025
(Source: Third Party)
(Full video available on PTI Videos -… pic.twitter.com/RnpU1Z8CzX
A boost to the economy and strategic cooperation are on the way.
During his visit, Prime Minister Modi made a big promise to help the Maldives grow. He also confirmed India’s plan to give the island nation a $565 million Line of Credit. This money is expected to help with a number of infrastructure and development projects in the Maldives, making India an even more important partner in growth. The Prime Minister also said that India and the Maldives are working on a free trade agreement (FTA). This is a step toward more economic integration and free commerce. The two countries also signed eight important agreements that covered a lot of areas, such as paying off debts, fishing, digital transformation, and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
Mending Fences: From “India Out” to New Diplomatic Warmth Modi’s visit is especially important since it marks a big shift in India-Maldives relations, which had been tense for a short time after President Mohamed Muizzu took office. Muizzu’s campaign for office focused on a “India Out” platform, which showed that he wanted to limit India’s power and build stronger ties with China.
Indian officials say that a series of coordinated diplomatic efforts from both sides have successfully gotten the situation back on track. President Muizzu went to India in October of last year to help start better conversations. PM Modi’s coming back, as the first foreign leader to be received by President Muizzu, shows that the two countries are getting along better and are committed to a strong alliance.
When talking to the press, President Muizzu said nice things about his Indian counterpart, calling Modi “a wonderful person.” He also stressed how long the friendship has been going on: “The Maldives and India have had a very good relationship for hundreds of years.” Under PM Modi’s leadership, the two governments will work together even better in the future.
During his journey, PM Modi also met with a number of Maldivian figures, such as Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef, Speaker of the People’s Majlis (Maldives Parliament) Abdul Raheem Abdulla, and former President Mohamed Nasheed. This shows how much he was involved during his trip. He also had “meaningful” conversations with members of several political parties in the Maldives, which showed that both sides desire stronger ties.