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The Ministry of External Affairs has strongly refuted the media reports claiming India's 'interference' in the domestic politics of Maldives, stating that the articles have "no credibility" and the reporter and newspaper have a "compulsive hostility" towards India.
This comes after a Washington Post news report alleged that Maldives opposition sought USD 6 million from India to aid in a plot to impeach Maldives President Mohammed Muizzu. "Both the newspaper and the reporter in question appear to nurse a compulsive hostility towards India. You can see a pattern in their activities. I leave you to judge their credibility. As far as we are concerned they have none," MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in the weekly briefing today. Earlier, former president and chief of the Maldivian Democratic Party and the country's largest opposition party, Mohamed Nasheed, dismissed the Washington Post report. Nasheed said he was unaware of any "serious plot" against President Muizzu and added that India would never support such a move. "I read with interest today's Washington Post article. I was unaware of any serious plot against the President, though some people always live in conspiracy. India would never back such a move, as they always support Maldives' democracy. India has never dictated terms to us, either," Mohamed Nasheed wrote on X. Meanwhile, Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Khaleel is on a three-day official visit to India. This is his first official visit to India. He also held a meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, where the two leaders noted key developments such as the signing of a framework to facilitate local currency use for cross-border transactions and increased collaboration across various sectors. In October 2024, Maldives President Mohammed Muizzu came on a visit to India. He held extensive bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aiming to forge a comprehensive economic and maritime security partnership.Both leaders had acknowledged the shared challenges in the Indian Ocean Region. They committed to enhancing maritime and security cooperation, with India pledging to provide expertise, boost capabilities, and engage in joint measures to help the Maldives address both traditional and non-traditional maritime threats. (ANI)
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