In an exclusive interview with ANI, the former Maldivian foreign minister also delved into the impact of ongoing events on India-Maldives relations and the significance of the Maldivian president's recent visits to China and Turkiye.
Muizzu and his wife are on a state visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping. This is the first bilateral visit since assuming office on December 17 last year.
Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed condemned the derogatory remarks made by the Maldives Minister and urged President Mohamed Muizzu to distance the government from the comments.
After departing from convention in picking Turkey, and, not India, for his first official visit, Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, accompanied by First Lady Sajidha Mohamed, will undertake a state visit to China from January 7-12.
"In Dubai, during the conversation, the prime minister and president of the Maldives discussed ways to further deepen our partnership and in this regard, they agreed to set up a core group. Let's see how we will be guided by what the core group says," Bagchi said.
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has conveyed the Indian government's assurance to honour and respect the desire of the Maldivian people to abstain from accommodating foreign military presence within the country.
A recent meeting was held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu on the sidelines of the COP28 Summit in Dubai, UAE.
During his visit, Mohamed Muizzu is scheduled to hold a meeting with Turkey's senior government officials to explore potential areas for mutual collaboration and enhance the diplomatic ties between the two nations.
However, Nasheed also expressed that he sees it as an opportunity for the Indian establishment to establish stronger links with the new government as well.
Earlier in August, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih launched the 'Greater Male connectivity projects in the Maldives' and also entered pacts in areas like cyber security, disaster management, and police infrastructure development.
Earlier on Friday, Maldivian President-elect Mohamed Muizzu took the oath as the eighth President of the Maldives, said the Maldives President's Office in a press statement.