Union Minister Kiren Rijiju to represent India at Maldives President's oath-taking ceremony

Rijiju will be on an two-day official visit to the island nation from Thursday at the invitation of the President-elect of the Maldives, Dr Mohamed Muizzu.

He will India at the inaugural ceremony of the presidency, the Ministry of External Affairs said in an official release.

The Maldives notably holds a significant position in the Prime Minister's vision of "SAGAR" (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and the "Neighbourhood First Policy," thus making it India's principal maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

According to MEA, this high level of ministerial representation from India at the inaugural ceremony underscores India's commitment to further deepen substantive cooperation and robust people-to-people ties between the two countries.

India had received an invitation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Maldives president-elect Mohamed Muizzu, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) candidate Muizzu won the Maldivian presidential elections last month.

He won with more than 53 per cent of the vote in the second round of voting, after emerging as the frontrunner in the first round with 46 per cent votes, followed by Ibrahim Solih's 39 per cent.

Prime Minister Modi had also congratulated Muizzu on his victory.

"Congratulations and greetings to @MMuizzu on being elected as President of the Maldives. India remains committed to strengthening the time-tested India-Maldives bilateral relationship and enhancing our overall cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region," PM Modi had posted on X (formerly Twitter). (ANI)