Male, Jan 6 (PTI) India’s newly-appointed High Commissioner to Maldives G Balasubramanian on Monday presented his credentials to Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu and the two sides discussed enhancing development cooperation, increasing investments across multiple sectors, and strengthening people-to-people connections.
Balasubramanian, a 1998 batch IFS officer, replaces Manu Mahawar, who concluded his tenure in November last year.
Balasubramanian presented his Letters of Credence to President Muizzu at a ceremony held on Monday at the President’s Office.
“High Commissioner G. Balasubramanian presented his credentials to President of Maldives, H E.@MMuizzu and discussed further strengthening of the bilateral ties between India and Maldives being Natural Partners,” the Indian High Commission here said in a post on X.
The Indian diplomat was escorted to the President’s Office from Republic Square in a cultural procession called ‘Haiykolhu,’ accompanied by the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Drum and Trumpet Band.
The High Commissioner presented his Letters of Credence to the President, who accepted it and welcomed him as the High Commissioner of India to the Maldives, according to a statement issued by the President’s Office.
During the meeting, the Indian diplomat conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, it said.
The President and the High Commissioner discussed enhancing development cooperation, ongoing projects by the Indian government in the Maldives, increasing investments across multiple sectors, and strengthening people-to-people connections, the statement said.
The President and the Indian High Commissioner concluded the meeting by reaffirming their commitment to continued partnership and cooperation between the two countries, it added.
Relations between India and the Maldives had come under severe strain since Muizzu, known for his pro-China leanings, took charge of the top office in November 2023 after winning the presidential election on the “India out” campaign.
Within hours of his swearing-in, Muizzu asked New Delhi to withdraw its military personnel posted in the archipelago nation and the personnel were withdrawn at a mutually agreeable time by May 2023.
The two nations have, however, reset the relations since Muizzu’s State visit in October last year.
Maldives is India’s key maritime neighbour and an important partner under India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and Vision SAGAR i.e. Security and Growth for All in the Region. PTI ZH ZH ZH
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