Ministry of External Affairs of India has confirmed Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the swearing-in ceremony of President-Elect of Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. The ceremony is scheduled to be held on November 17 in the capital, Male’ City.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accepted Maldives President-Elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s invitation to attend the swearing-in ceremony on November 17,” Spokesperson at the Indian external affairs ministry, Raveesh Kumar told a daily news briefing in the Indian capital. It has been reported in the Indian media that Modi will be travelling to Maldives for a one-day trip and will look to mend the shaky ties between the two countries.
Modi was initially invited to the swearing-in ceremony during a phone call with Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on September 24. During the conversation, Modi conveyed his good wishes for the strengthening of democracy, peace and prosperity in Maldives. Solih told the local media the two leaders agreed to work closely together to further strengthen the close, friendly and good neighbourly relations between the two countries.
Since assuming office, Modi has travelled to all neighbouring countries except Maldives. An official visit was planned for March 2015 but was later cancelled due to the unstable political situation in Maldives.