Foreign Tour Scheduled Between July 23-26
The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, is next week set to travel overseas. Official sources indicated that he would travel to the United Kingdom and the Maldives from July 23 to July 26 to July.
Diplomatic tensions in the background
This Maldives visit is significant because it will be his first after the diplomatic tensions last year. The disagreement started when certain Maldivian ministers uttered controversial comments against Prime Minister Modi and Lakshadweep. Such comments strained India-Maldives relations.
Goals of the Visit
Authorities expressed the belief that the visit will provide an opportunity to revive diplomatic relations and foster mutual cooperation. It is hoped that this interaction will enhance bilateral relations between the two nations.
India-UK Free Trade Agreement Discussions
During July 23 and 24, Prime Minister Modi will hold meetings in the UK. He will participate in discussions for the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Officials further added that both nations want to ink the agreement on this visit.
Maldives Visit and National Day Event
Prime Minister Modi will make a visit to the Maldives on July 25 and 26. He will be a chief guest at the nation's 60th National Day celebrations.
Incident Involving Lakshadweep Visit
Last year in January, Prime Minister Modi went to Lakshadweep and invited adventure travelers to visit the island. In reaction to his comments, a few Maldivian ministers made negative remarks. These comments sparked an immediate backlash on social media and a call for boycotting the Maldives. Indian tourists dropped their plans to travel en masse.
Maldives Acceded to Corrective Measures
The Maldivian government was swift to disassociate itself from the remarks. The government said that the comment does not represent government policy. The ministers involved were suspended later.
Latest India-Maldives Relations Developments
Since then, actions by Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu have driven the two countries further apart. The latest visit is regarded as an attempt to renew diplomatic interactions.
Tags Cloud
