'Deeply touched': PM Modi after Maldivian President Muizzu welcomes him at airport

PM Modi was welcomed by members of the Indian diaspora and a traditional Indian dance in Male, Maldives.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday reached Maldives a day after concluding the UK leg of his two-nation visit.  His trip to the island nation comes at the invitation of Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu and coincides with the Maldives' 60th Independence Day and the 60th anniversary of India-Maldives diplomatic relations.

"Landed in Malé. Deeply touched by the gesture of President Muizzu to come to the airport to welcome me. I am confident that India-Maldives friendship will scale new heights of progress in the times to come," PM Modi wrote in a post on X.

Landed in Malé. Deeply touched by the gesture of President Muizzu to come to the airport to welcome me. I am confident that India-Maldives friendship will scale new heights of progress in the times to come.@MMuizzu pic.twitter.com/GGzSTDENsE

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— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 25, 2025

PM Modi was welcomed by members of the Indian diaspora and a traditional Indian dance in Male, Maldives. Other leaders including Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, Finance Minister and Minister of Homeland Security were also present when PM Modi reached Maldives.

Chants of ‘Vande Mataram‘ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ echoed as PM Modi arrived in Maldives.

This is PM  Modi's third visit to the South Asian country and notably the first by any head of state or government during President Muizzu's tenure. According to reports, during PM Modi's stay, he and President Muizzu will take stock of the progress in the implementation of the India-Maldives Joint Vision for a 'Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership', adopted during the State Visit of the President of Maldives to India in October 2024.

They are also expected to hold talks on bilateral cooperation in areas including infrastructure development, defence cooperation, and economic connectivity, strengthening the multi-faceted partnership between the two countries.

Balasubramanian, High Commissioner of India to Maldives, said that India and Maldives are historical neighbours and their relations have continued to this day.

Balasubramanian said that India and Maldives have had a strong relationship.

"India and Maldives have a very strong relationship. We have been historical neighbours. We have been geographical neighbours, and therefore our relationship continued over centuries, I would say. During the Indus Valley civilisation, people from Lothal used to travel to Lhaviyani Atoll and Noonu Atoll in the northern part of the Maldives," he said. Balasubramanian said that India has contributed to the Maldives' development.