The political landscape in the Maldives is abuzz with anticipation and preparations ahead of the presidential elections slated for September 9 this year.
On Thursday, during its demonstrations in commemoration of Eid-Al-Adha, the opposition took to the streets, with "India Out" slogans and masks depicting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's face.
"Excellent meeting with HEP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih at the President's Office in Male. We discussed a wide range of issues to further strengthen the relations between India and Maldives," the Union Defence Minister tweeted on Tuesday.
"For Maldives, India is special, and our foreign policy is based on 'India First', but we have no enemies, and we work with everyone," Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was warmly welcomed by Foreign Minister of Maldives Abdulla Shahid over his visit to the Maldives. In his fourth visit to the country.
It is believed the earliest settlers in the Maldives, who had moved there in the 5th century BCE, were probably ethnic Sinhalese and Dravidian Buddhists from modern Sri Lanka and South India.
As India assumed the Presidency of the G20, Male's support doesn't come as a surprise as bilateral relations between the two countries extend to many areas and are free of politically contentious issues.
Maldives Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday denied participating in the "China-Indian Ocean Forum on Development Cooperation", held on November 21, 2022.