Indian PM Modi to be invited to Dr. Muizzu's swearing in ceremony

The Maldives parliament has decided to invite prime minister of India Narendra Modi to the swearing in ceremony of President-elect Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.

The parliament house is currently making arrangements for Dr. Muizzu's swearing-in ceremony scheduled for November 17.

According to an interview given by parliament speaker Mohamed Nasheed to the Indian newspaper The Hindu, Nasheed expressed his desire to invite prime minister Narendra Modi to the swearing-in ceremony of Dr. Muizzu.

In the interview, Nasheed expressed his belief that Dr. Muizzu would not adopt an "anti-India" and "pro-China" stance during his administration.

“The international media has characterised our election as between India and China, and also has characterised Dr. Muizzu as pro-China. I don’t think all this was exactly true,” Nasheed had said to The Hindu.

During a news conference this afternoon, the president-elect's spokesman, Mohamad Firzul Abdullah Halil, stated that efforts were underway to invite leaders from neighboring countries, including Modi, for Dr. Muizzu's swearing-in ceremony. He emphasized that invitations are not limited to India alone.

MDP’s loss is not “India-Out”

Speaking to The Hindu, Nasheed clarified that the "India Out" campaign was not the primary reason for the Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) losing the elections. The former MDP president mentioned that the party's defeat was due to the people's desire for a different leader.

“The campaign against Indian military presence here has subsided and that really wasn’t the main campaign point... My feeling is that he will continue with our foreign policy... He would know that the relations with India go back hundreds of years, and I can’t see much changing because of a change in government,” Nasheed said to The Hindu.

He added that he does not think Dr. Muizzu will stop the 75 Indian soldiers in the Maldives from operating helicopters and Dornier planes donated by the Indian government to the Maldives.

However, Dr. Muizzu has repeatedly said that foreign troops in the Maldives will be repatriated under his rule. He has said he is confident this could be done and that it will be done in a manner that will not negatively affect foreign relations.