India yet to finalize whether PM Modi will attend Solih's inauguration

Days after it was reported that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi might skip President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s swearing-in ceremony, Economic Times has said that the PM could visit for his inauguration.

While November 17 has been confirmed as the date of his inauguration, it reported that Solih’s election has opened new opportunities for India after bilateral ties between both nations deteriorated during sitting President Abdulla Yameen’s tour.

The Indian Prime Minister skipped Maldives in 2015, during his tour of the Indian Ocean, due to the political turmoil in the country. It is the only South Asian country that he has not visited in the past four years.

Hence, if Modi decides to attend Solih’s swearing in ceremony, it will be his maiden trip as PM since assuming office in 2014.

Last week, India’s The Wire reported that Modi was unlikely to make an appearance adding that India will be hesitating to send him “to an event where he could be just part of the crowd”.

It further noted that his long-awaited trip to the Maldives “should be a stand-alone bilateral state visit”.

While India is yet to make a clear decision on whether PM Modi will attend the ceremony, The Wire noted that it wants to have “a better idea of the invitee list” first.

Noting that India might have to reconsider its recommendation “if there is an invite to all SAARC members only”, it cited a senior Indian official that “if everyone is invited, then as per protocol, the Indian prime minister will only be one among many”.

The report further noted the PM’s reservations to be in the same audience with his Pakistani counterpart, Imran Khan. President-elect Solih has extended an invitation to PM Khan as well.