President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has accepted the invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to the swearing-in ceremony of the Prime Minister, and said that Maldives-India relations were heading in the positive direction.
According to the President's Office, Indian High Commissioner Munu Mahawar presented the letter of invitation to President Muizzu during a courtesy call at the President's Office.
At the call, Mahawar extended greetings from Modi, stating that the Prime Minister is looking forward to have the President attend the ceremony marking his third swearing-in as Prime Minister of India.
President Muizzu expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister for the invitation, adding that he would be honored to attend the historic event.
He also stated that he looks forward to working with the Prime Minister to further strengthen the close relations with India, noting that Maldives-India relations are heading in the positive direction, as would be demonstrated by this visit.
The President thanked the High Commissioner for personally delivering the invitation.
Relations between Maldives and India deteriorated when President Muizzu first came to power. One of the reasons for this was the indirect verbal attacks on India in the statement issued by the President after his official visit to China.
Speaking at the Velana International Airport, President Muizzu said Maldives was not in the backyard of any particular country.
"We are not in the backyard of any particular country. We are an independent and sovereign country. So this basis of territorial integrity is a basis on which China respects us very much," he said.
Muizzu said the Indian Ocean is not the property of any particular country and Maldives has a large share in this ocean.
Without naming India directly, the President said that in the previous government "they had to get permission to get up from one seat and move to another." He repeated that "we will stand on our own feet without relying on anyone."
"China does not influence our internal affairs in any way," Muizzu claimed.
The President said he would end Maldives' dependence on India in various sectors and promised to stop bringing medicine from India and depending on India for medical treatment.
Before concluding his remarks, Muizzu said "we might be a small country, but that does not give you the license to bully us."
