President Mohamed Muizzu – Artifex.News

Muizzu invites Burnham for talks over Chagos

admin — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 11:20:00 +0000

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu.

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu on Tuesday (September 8, 2026) invited British Prime Minister Andrew Burnham for talks on the disputed Chagos Islands.

In a letter to the British Prime Minister, President Muizzu “expressed the Maldives’ concerns regarding the United Kingdom’s decision to proceed with the handover of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius”, his office said in a statement.

In May 2025, Britain signed an agreement with Mauritius to transfer sovereignty over the contested and strategically located Chagos Islands, saying the move would ensure the future of a U.S.-U.K. military base vital to British security. U.S. President Donald Trump criticised the agreement, calling it “a big mistake”. In April this year, however, the British government put on hold its deal to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands — home to the ‌U.S.-British Diego Garcia air base — and shelved the legislation needed for the move.

Since the beginning of this year, the Maldives has voiced opposition to the United Kingdom’s decision to cede sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago (Foalhavahi) to Mauritius, with President Muizzu maintaining that the Maldives holds “the most legitimate claim” to the archipelago based on historical ties between the Maldives and Chagos.

In his letter, Mr. Muizzu highlighted the “shared history and cultural ties” between the Indian Ocean archipelago, as well as the Maldives’s “longstanding support for major marine conservation and scientific research expeditions in the region.” He “reaffirmed” the Maldives’s commitment” to maintaining a reliable and constructive partnership with the United Kingdom on matters relating to Chagos, while safeguarding the legitimate interests of the Maldivian state and its people, his office said.

Mr. Muizzu “expressed hope that renewed engagement and partnership” between the two countries would contribute to stability and security in the Indian Ocean, “particularly at a time of increasing global uncertainty”, his office further said.

Published – September 08, 2026 04:50 pm IST

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India To Export Essential Goods To Maldives Despite Strained Ties: Report

admin — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 12:06:34 +0000

Representational Image

New Delhi:

India has allowed limited exports of essential commodities, including sugar, wheat, rice, and onions, to the Maldives, the government said on Friday, even as ties between Male and New Delhi remained tense amid rising Chinese influence.

India, a leading exporter of rice, sugar and onions, has imposed various curbs on exports of these food commodities to keep a lid on local prices ahead of the general election.

Shipments of these commodities in the 2024/25 financial year which started on April 1 to Maldives “will be exempted from any existing or future restriction/prohibition on export,” the government said in a notification.

The South Asian country has allowed exports of 124,218 metric tons of rice, 109,162 tons of wheat flour, 64,494 tons of sugar, 21,513 metric tons of potatoes, 35,749 tons of onions, and 427.5 million eggs to the Maldives.

India has also allowed exports of 1 million tons each of stone aggregate and river sand.

The Maldives, which has traditionally had close ties to India, is pivoting towards Beijing since new President Mohamed Muizzu was elected in October on a promise to end the country’s pro-India stance.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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India, Maldives, Sri Lanka Hold ‘Dosti’ Exercises In Indian Ocean

admin — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 21:16:19 +0000

‘Dosti’ is a four-day trilateral exercise

Male:

Seeking to enhance maritime security and interoperability, coast guard personnel from India, the Maldives and Sri Lanka have embarked on a four-day trilateral exercise to identify emerging maritime challenges in the Indian Ocean Region.

Indian Coast Guard ship Samarth and ICGS Abhinav along with Sri Lanka Naval Ship Samudura reached here on Thursday for the exercise ‘DOSTI-16’ that is being held between February 22 and 25. Bangladesh is participating as an observer.

The sea exercise under #DOSTI -XVI involving five Coast Guard ships from #India, #Maldives and #SriLanka conducted today at Male, #Maldives. @giridhararamane @MEAIndia @HCIMaldives @MNDF_Official pic.twitter.com/D6TJeE8rez

— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) February 24, 2024

MNDF welcomes participating ships from India and Sri Lanka for the Trilateral Joint Exercise “DOSTI-16” from Feb 22-25. Coast Guards of Maldives, India, and Sri Lanka, along with observers from Bangladesh, join in this biennial event to enhance collaboration between the forces. pic.twitter.com/csAF51qTTl

— Maldives National Defence Force (@MNDF_Official) February 22, 2024

Coast guard helicopter ICGS Dornier too is part of the trilateral exercise ‘Dosti,’ which Sri Lanka said aims to enhance cooperation, strengthen friendship, improve mutual operational capability, and develop interoperability among the Coast Guard personnel of India, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka.

The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) late Thursday evening extended a warm welcome to ADG S Paramesh, Additional Director General of the Indian Coast Guard.

“Upon his (Paramesh) arrival at the VIA, Colonel Mohamed Saleem, Commandant of MNDF Coast Guard, greeted him,” a post on X by MNDF said.

“Commanding Officers of both ICG ships called on Commandant MNDF CG and discussed mutual avenues of cooperative engagements,” the Indian Coast Guard said in a post on X.

The ICG ships would participate in a series of activities and take part in a joint sea exercise with the Sri Lanka Coast Guard and Maldives National Defence Force.

The Indian Mission in Maldives described the 16th edition of the India-Maldives-Srilanka trilateral exercise ‘Dosti’ as a “regional synergy to enhance maritime security & interoperability!”

Earlier, a release from the Sri Lankan Navy said before its ship left for the Maldives: “Participating in this nature of exercises will allow the Sri Lanka Navy to enhance cooperation and interoperability with other maritime stakeholders in the region.”

“It (also) offers numerous advantages, including acquiring new knowledge about maritime operations, exchanging strategies and experiences, identifying emerging maritime challenges in the Indian Ocean Region, and collaboratively finding solutions for them,” it added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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