New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending the swearing-in ceremony of the Maldivian President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on November 17, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. On this trip, he is also expected to visit Singapore to participate in the 13th East Asia Summit and other meetings on November 14 and 15.
Previously, the PM was extended the invitation to the ceremony in September, just days after Solih emerged victorious over his opponent Abdulla Yameen, over a phone call made by Modi to congratulate the new president. In return, Solih has also accepted the invitation by the PM to visit India.
Of all the SAARC countries, Maldives is the only country Modi has not visited as his previous attempt was cancelled due to a volatile political situation there.
Also previously, India’s relation with Maldives was strained because of the emergency declared in the country by President Yameen on February 5. India had criticised this move by the president’s government and urged him to restore credibility to the electoral and political process by releasing its political prisoners.
The situation was stabilised when the emergency was revoked after 45 days of its initiation.
