In a break from convention, newly elected Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu will be visiting Turkey rather than India for his maiden official visit abroad.
Muizzu’s decision signals a change in priorities with regard to India as the newly elected President is believed to be slowly steering the island nation away from its pro-India stance.
The Official Visit to Turkey
The President's office stated that Muizzu departed for Turkey on Sunday on an official visit with First Lady Sajidha Mohamed at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. During the visit, the President is scheduled to meet senior Turkish government officials “to explore potential areas for mutual collaboration and enhance the diplomatic ties between the two countries,” the release mentioned. “A high-level delegation is accompanying the President and the First Lady on the visit,” it added.
https://t.co/0NnuGjEI4J
— Atolls Times (@atolltimes) November 26, 2023
Pres Muizzu on maiden official visit departs to Turkey
Muizzu’s visit will take place after he attends the United Nations Climate Change Conference - COP 28, which will be held in Dubai, starting 30 November. The Edition reported that Muizzu’s first official visit was initially scheduled for Saudi Arabia. However, it was first postponed to a later date, and later, the President chose to travel to Turkey instead. He will now visit Saudi Arabia after he visits Turkey.
Break from Tradition
Prior to Muizzu, it had been customary for newly elected Maldivian presidents to visit India for their first foreign trip. Ex-Maldivian President Ibrahim Solih visited India on his first state visit after assuming office in 2018. Even Abdulla Yameen, the openly anti-India President and Muizzu’s close associate, chose India for his first visit in December 2013. In December 2008, Mohammed Nasheed visited India for his first foreign visit.
Muizzu’s decision to drift from tradition lends credibility to his anti-India positioning, which has been a topic for discussion ever since he assumed power. According to J.K. Tripathi, a former Indian diplomat to the Maldives, the decision to have chosen neither India nor China intends to promote the perception that the country’s foreign policy would neither be pro-China nor pro-India but pro-Maldives.
The choice of Turkey, however, seems contentious, with Former Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal accusing Ankara of doing “anti-Indian Islamic politics in this region.” Sibal also accused Muizzu of being needlessly provocative. Turkey and India have been on polarising ends of geopolitical issues, with the former being close to India’s primary adversary, Pakistan, and supporting it on the Kashmir issue.
Muizzu’s Anti-India Stance
Muizzu’s ascendancy to power has been a cause of worry for India. The pro-China President rose to power with the support of the ‘India-Out’ campaign, accusing the Solih government of allowing Indian boots on the ground.
Muizzu has been travelling to several nations since before his swearing-in so as to seek alternate sources of funding to reduce dependence on India. In his recent visit to the UAE, the new President secured $80 million in funding from Abu Dhabi for the Malé Airport project. India had provided $136.6 million earlier for the expansion of the project. The financial commitment from the UAE assures that the Maldives would not have to engage with India for another round of credit.
Turkey playing anti-Indian Islamist politics in our region. Has no interest in Maldives other than Islamist nexus. Muizzu is being needlessly provocative. Those who blame ourselves for mismanaging neighbourhood ties bcoz of arrogance/insensitivity etc sh’d rethink. https://t.co/WXISTIzeq0
— Kanwal Sibal (@KanwalSibal) November 26, 2023
Last week, Muizzu officially asked India to withdraw its troops from the Maldives. Additionally, there have been reports that Muizzu is reviewing over 100 agreements signed by Solih with India.