In a marked departure from his earlier position, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has lauded India as the Maldives’ “closest and most trusted partner,” expressing gratitude to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latter’s official visit to the island nation.

President Muizzu, who once played a leading role in the “India Out” campaign, made the remarks on Friday following bilateral talks with Prime Minister Modi at the President’s Office in Malé City. The two leaders later issued a joint statement highlighting the importance of strengthening ties between the two countries.

Muizzu expressed gratitude to PM Modi and the government of India for their continued support, asserting that India has always been the first to respond whenever the Maldives faces any challenge.

Indian media outlets have described Muizzu’s comments as a “significant shift” in tone, given his previously critical stance on India’s presence in the Maldives.

President Muizzu also hosted an official dinner in honor of the Indian PM during the latter’s state visit to the Maldives, commending Modi’s leadership and reaffirming the strong ties between the two nations.

During high-level discussions at the President’s Office, both leaders addressed a wide range of bilateral issues, including development cooperation, climate change mitigation, healthcare, and capacity building. Particular emphasis was placed on enhancing defense collaboration and maritime security in the Indian Ocean, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to joint efforts under the Colombo Security Conclave framework.

Economic cooperation also featured prominently in the talks. PM Modi expressed gratitude to President Muizzu for the Maldives' strong condemnation of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and for its support in India’s broader counter-terrorism efforts.

A series of agreements were signed during the visit, with six Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) inked in key areas such as fisheries and aquaculture, climate change, digital public infrastructure, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), the adoption of Indian Pharmacopoeia standards, and a new concessional line of credit.

As part of the visit, a new line of credit worth approximately USD 550 million was announced to support Maldives’ infrastructure development and related projects.