India has decided that a cabinet minister will represent the country in the upcoming presidential inauguration of President Elect Dr Mohamed Muizzu.
Previous presidential inaugurations have been attended by high ranking officials from India including the President and the Prime Minister.
India's Minister of Earth Sciences Shri Kiren Rijiju has been nominated to attend the upcoming ceremony on November 17. Shri Kiren Rijiju was appointed to the cabinet position just this year in May. Previously, he served as a State Minister.
This is the first time in recent history that a cabinet minister, instead one of the highest ranking State Officials from India, has been appointed to attend a Maldives' presidential inauguration.
A press release from India's Ministry of External Affairs announced that Shri Ririju will be travelling to Maldives on Thursday to attend the ceremony. He will be attending Friday's ceremony, and be in the country until Saturday.
"This high level Ministerial representation from India at the inaugural ceremony underscores India’s commitment to further deepen the substantive cooperation and robust people to people ties between the two countries," the statement reads.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the oath taking ceremony of incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. The current administration built strong ties with India through out its term.
However, President Elect Muizzu has stated that his administration will not hold any 'special ties' with India, but that it will share the same close ties with the country as it will with others. He also pledged to remove Indian troops from the Maldives, and plans to review a number of agreements made with the country.
Muizzu maintains that his administration's foreign policy will be based on a 'Maldives First' approach.
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