Maldives leader heads to India to repair frail ties
India met Muizzu's deadline to withdraw 78 soldiers stationed in the Maldives
MALE: Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu will undertake his first state visit to India on Sunday, aiming to repair frail ties between the two South Asian neighbours.
Pro-China Muizzu came to power a year ago on a promise to evict dozens of Indian troops deployed in his small but strategically located archipelago.
Most South Asian leaders are invited to New Delhi soon after they assume office, but it has taken almost a year for India to accord Muizzu a state visit.
India met Muizzu's May deadline to withdraw a contingent of 78 soldiers stationed in the Maldives to operate two helicopters and a fixed-wing plane.
However, the aircraft remained and are being operated by a civilian Indian crew.
"President Muizzu remains committed to enhancing bilateral ties with nations that play a crucial role in the development and growth of the Maldives," his office said while announcing the Delhi visit.
The two sides will focus on "strengthening bilateral cooperation and further enhancing the longstanding relationship between the two nations," the president's office said in a statement.
In June, Muizzu travelled to Delhi as one of many Asian leaders to grace Prime Minister Narendra Modi's inauguration following his victory in a third consecutive election.
India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar travelled to Male in August and said that Delhi was "committed to deepening India-Maldives ties".
Known as a luxury holiday destination with pristine white sand beaches and secluded resorts, the atoll nation has also become a geopolitical hotspot.
India is apprehensive about China's growing presence in the Indian Ocean.
Global, east-west shipping lanes pass the nation's chain of 1,192 tiny coral islands, stretching around 800 kilometres (500 miles) across the equator.
India's government has traditionally regarded the Maldives, as well as neighbouring Sri Lanka, to be within its sphere of influence.
Since coming to power, Muizzu has toned down his anti-Indian rhetoric and has stated that he would not disrupt the regional balance by replacing Indian forces with Chinese troops.