President Muizzu meets Modi in China

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, currently on a two-day visit to China, briefly met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday.

The President had arrived in China last Friday at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.

President Muizzu also met with President Xi on Sunday, and Prime Minister Modi later shared a photograph of their meeting on social media.

Modi stated that the two leaders met on the sidelines of the SCO summit, emphasizing that "India's developmental cooperation with Maldives is greatly beneficial for our people."

As of now, the President's Office has not released any specific details regarding the meeting.

Following his meeting with President Xi, President Muizzu conveyed in an X post, "Our solid development partnership is founded on decades of close friendship and goodwill, and we renewed our commitment to carry forward our engagements in this spirit."

The current Maldivian government came into power following a campaign that advocated for the withdrawal of Indian troops from the Maldives. Consequently, foreign media initially characterized the government's policy as anti-India and pro-China. However, President Muizzu has asserted that his administration prioritizes the country's interests, defining it as a 'pro-Maldives' government.

Heartened by the warm welcome I’ve received during my ongoing official visit to China.

I met with His Excellency President Xi Jinping today in Tianjin and discussed expediting joint initiatives and explored potential avenues to expand existing cooperation. Our solid development… pic.twitter.com/nN4y6pXch3

— Dr Mohamed Muizzu (@MMuizzu) August 31, 2025

Historically, Maldivian Presidents have typically made India their first official foreign visit. However, President Muizzu visited China before India. After his visit to China, he publicly stated that the Maldives is not the 'backyard' of any particular country and cannot be 'bullied'.

Relations between the two nations subsequently deteriorated due to this reference to India and public insults directed at India and Prime Minister Modi by several Maldivian deputy ministers of state. In response, India launched a significant campaign, involving influential Bollywood stars, advocating for a boycott of Maldivian tourism.

Interacted with President Muizzu of Maldives on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin. India’s developmental cooperation with Maldives is greatly beneficial for our people.@MMuizzu pic.twitter.com/DyQJH77Snc

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 31, 2025

Since these events, the Maldivian government has reportedly made efforts to mend relations with India and to promote Maldives as a tourist destination within India, recognizing India as a prominent tourist market for the Maldives. The President also attended Prime Minister Modi's swearing-in ceremony for his third term, among other visits.