The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Friday that the President of the Maldives, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, will undertake his first bilateral visit to India from October 6 to 10. During his five-day trip, Maldives President Muizzu is scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu and hold discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a range of bilateral, regional, and international issues.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during a media briefing said, "President of the Republic of Maldives Mohamed Muizzu will be travelling to India on a state visit from 7th to 10th October 2024. This will be his first bilateral visit to India. He had earlier visited India, in June 2024 to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the PM and council of ministers."
According to an MEA statement, Muizzu will also visit Bengaluru and Mumbai, where he is set to participate in various business events aimed at enhancing economic cooperation. His visit is seen as a significant step in the context of India's 'Neighbourhood First Policy' and the ‘Security and Growth for All in the Region’ (SAGAR) vision, which highlight India's commitment to regional stability and collaboration.
The MEA statement emphasised, "Maldives is India's key maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and holds a special place in Prime Minister's vision of 'SAGAR' and India's 'Neighbourhood First Policy'. The visit of President Dr. Muizzu to India, following the recent visit of the External Affairs Minister to Maldives, is testimony to the importance that India attaches to its relations with the Maldives and is expected to lend further momentum to cooperation and robust people-to-people ties between the two countries."
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In other developments, the MEA confirmed that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation to Pakistan for the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Islamabad, scheduled for October 15 and 16.
The MEA spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, also responded to Zakir Naik’s recent meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, stating, “We have seen reports that he [Zakir Naik] has been fitted into Pakistan and warmly welcomed there. It is not surprising for us that an Indian fugitive has received a high-level welcome in Pakistan. It is disappointing and condemnable but not surprising.” Naik, who is wanted in India on charges of money laundering and incitement of extremism, arrived in Pakistan for a series of lectures, marking his first visit to the country in over three decades.