Modi friendship First India Maldives Ties
Modi friendship First India Maldives Ties From “India Out” rhetoric to being welcomed as the Guest of Honour at Maldives’ 60th Independence Day—PM Modi’s July 25–26, 2025 visit marks a significant thaw in bilateral ties. At the center: a clear message—“For us, it is always friendship first.”
Modi friendship First India Maldives Ties: Strained Relations and Economic Crisis
Under President Muizzu’s earlier “India Out” campaign, ties soured, leading to withdrawal of Indian defence personnel and diplomatic friction after derogatory comments. That episode triggered strong reactions in India, a tourism boycott, and Maldives facing economic turmoil.
But India’s quick financial aid—rollover of treasury bills, a USD 400 million swap deal—and essential commodity support helped avert a crisis and reinforced its role as Maldives’ “first responder.”
“Friendship First” in Practice: Recent Initiatives
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Economic & Infrastructure Projects: India extends line of credit (USD 565 mn) and launches support for Hanimadhoo airport upgrade and Greater Malé Connectivity Bridge.
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13 Community MoUs: Projects enhancing ferry services, sanitation, health, and hydrography under India-funded grants.
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Maritime & Security Cooperation: Defence platform deployment, Ekatha Harbour project, capacity building and renewed defence exercises.
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Strategic Reset & Trade Talks
India and Maldives are building a core group to deepen cooperation across sectors—economic, people‑to‑people, governance—as agreed at COP 28 in Dec 2023.
High-level negotiations are underway for a Free Trade Agreement and investment treaty, including local‑currency trade mechanisms, renewable energy cooperation and digital payments infrastructure like RuPay and UPI.
This phase represents a return to strategic warmth. PM Modi’s “friendship‑first” messaging isn’t just rhetoric—it’s backed by loans, trade frameworks, defence infrastructure, and civic projects. The visit signals renewed trust and recalibration of Maldives foreign policy.
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This blog highlights how India’s strategic and developmental diplomacy—anchored by “friendship first”—has helped reset relations with the Maldives. It captures an evolving tale of trust, financial rescue, defence cooperation, and trade integration. Already trending across news and social media, this keyword‑rich, emotion‑driven framing ensures strong SEO traction.
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