Two terrorists armed with assault rifles carried out a shooting attack in Jaffa.

 

The recent diplomatic shift in the Maldives under President Mohamed Muizzu signals a renewed focus on strengthening ties with India. Despite his initial "India Out" campaign that emphasized reducing Indian influence, Muizzu has now referred to India as "one of the closest allies" and acknowledged its pivotal role in supporting the Maldives. This shift was highlighted during a ceremony marking the completion of water supply and sewerage facilities on 28 islands, projects funded through India’s Line of Credit Facility【10†source】.

This U-turn can be attributed to economic considerations, as India has been a significant contributor to Maldivian development projects. Additionally, the Muizzu administration faced a steep decline in Indian tourist arrivals, a key economic sector for the Maldives, due to previous tensions【9†source】. The Maldives is now actively working to attract more Indian tourists through initiatives like the “Welcome India” campaign【9†source】.

The improved relationship includes new agreements such as training 1,000 Maldivian civil servants in India and introducing the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to enhance financial connectivity between the two countries【9†source】. This move highlights the Maldives’ pragmatic approach to balancing regional diplomacy and securing essential economic support.