Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has confirmed his attendance at the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi and his Council of Ministers on Sunday. The invitation was formally extended by Prime Minister Modi, and it was delivered by Munu Mahawar, the Indian High Commissioner to the Maldives, during a courtesy call at the President's Office.

Leaders from neighboring countries and those in the Indian Ocean region have been invited as distinguished guests to Prime Minister Modi's swearing-in ceremony. Among these invited leaders are the heads of state from Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh, Mauritius, Nepal, and Bhutan. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed in an official statement on Saturday that President Ranil Wickremesinghe of Sri Lanka, President Mohamed Muizzu of Maldives, Vice-President Ahmed Afif of Seychelles, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh, Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth of Mauritius, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' of Nepal, and Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay of Bhutan have all accepted the invitation to attend.

During the meeting, the High Commissioner conveyed Prime Minister Modi's greetings and expressed his eagerness to have President Muizzu attend this significant ceremony, marking Modi's third term as Prime Minister of India.

President Muizzu expressed his gratitude to PM Modi for the invitation, stating that he would be honored to attend this historic event. He also emphasized his commitment to strengthen the close relations between Maldives and India, noting that bilateral ties are on a positive trajectory.

In an earlier statement, President Muizzu congratulated PM Modi on his victory in the 2024 Indian General Election and expressed his willingness to collaborate to enhance bilateral ties. PM Modi, in response, thanked President Muizzu and expressed his eagerness for closer cooperation to further strengthen bilateral relations.

This visit will mark President Muizzu's first official visit to India since taking office in November last year. Notably, Muizzu, known for his pro-China stance, visited Turkey and China for his first state visit earlier this year.

The invitation to President Muizzu is part of a broader outreach to leaders in the Indian Ocean region, including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Mauritius, Nepal, and Bhutan, who have been invited as distinguished guests for the swearing-in ceremony.

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