• By Kamal Kumar
  • Sun, 11 Aug 2024 04:12 PM (IST)
  • Source:JND

India-Maldives:  A day after Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu called India 'one of the closest allies', the island country's opposition welcomed a sudden shift in his foreign policy towards New Delhi. Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), the main opposition party in the country, also hailed India as the most reliable partner in times of crisis and called for a public apology by the Muizzu administration for straining the ties between the two countries.

MDP Chief Abdulla Shahid took to X to share a press release by his party after he met Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Male on Saturday.

"...the MDP welcomes the sudden recalibration of the Maldives-India policy of President Muizzu's government, from its previous India Out policy. The MDP hopes that this shift will not be temporary or superficial, but consistent and meaningful in the best interests of the people of the Maldives, the release stated.

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Asking the Muizzu government to further correct the foreign policy blunders committed by its officials and ministers, MDP demanded an apology from the current government to the people of the Maldives.

"Further, the MDP calls on the Government of President Muizzu to issue a public apology to the people of the Maldives for the actions, lies and irresponsible comments from its officials which have resulted in significant damage to the Maldives foreign and economic outlook," the release stated.

The statement further highlighted the attempt by the Muizzu government to undermine the historic ties between the two countries.

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"The Maldives-India relationship has always been based on the principles of mutual respect, respect for international law, territorial integrity, a common desire for regional security, and an open and peaceful Indian Ocean. The Maldives has always been confident that India will always be the first responder any time the Maldives "dials an international 911", it said.