Is The Maldivian President On Guest List For PM Modi's Oath Ceremony?

India's "Neighbourhood First" policy and the focus on cooperation with Indian Ocean states were cited as the main factors behind the decision to invite the leaders of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, the Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Sri Lanka to the prime minister's inauguration on June 9.

Formal invitations were sent to all seven countries for PM Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony, according to Bloomberg. Initial reports had indicated that the leaders of five countries would be invited to the ceremony where Narendra Modi will take the oath for his third term, but sources familiar with developments, speaking on condition of anonymity on Thursday, revealed that the Maldives and Seychelles had been added to the list.

Photo Credit: PTI

The leaders of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, and Mauritius were invited to attend the inauguration during separate phone conversations on Wednesday, and formal invitations were sent to all seven countries on Thursday, the sources said. It was emphasized that the focus is on forging closer relations and enhancing cooperation with island nations in the Indian Ocean region, and all the invited countries hold a key place in the 'Neighbourhood First' policy.

Even before the formal invitations were sent out, officials in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka had confirmed the participation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, and President Ranil Wickremesinghe. An aide to Hasina had announced that the premier would travel to New Delhi on Friday, as the Bangladeshi side was initially led to believe the swearing-in ceremony would be held on June 8. Since the formal invitation mentioned that the inauguration was scheduled for June 9, officials in Dhaka stated that the premier would travel to India on Saturday.

Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu was a surprise addition to the list of invitees, given the strained relations between Male and New Delhi since his election last year on the back of an "India Out" campaign. Muizzu has taken steps to move the Maldives closer to China, such as forcing India to recall more than 85 military personnel stationed in the Indian Ocean archipelago to operate two helicopters and an aircraft used mainly for medical evacuations and humanitarian relief operations. The decision to invite Muizzu was meant to signal that India is keen on continuing cooperation with the Maldives in key areas.

The Maldives confirmed Muizzu's acceptance of the invitation late on Thursday, with officials in Male saying he would be accompanied by three members of his cabinet, including Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer. This will be his first visit to India since coming to power.

Other reasons for inviting the leaders of neighbouring countries to the inauguration included logistical considerations, the sources said. Most of these leaders have close relations with India and would be willing to attend on short notice, while their presence would signal New Delhi's intention to keep the focus on the neighbourhood.

During her phone call with Modi on Wednesday, Hasina pointed to the "very cordial and friendly relations between Bangladesh and India." Bangladesh is currently India's closest partner in the neighbourhood, and both sides have advanced several initiatives for road, rail, and energy connectivity. In his phone conversation with Wickremesinghe on Wednesday, Modi described Sri Lanka as an important partner in the "Neighbourhood First" policy and stated that India is "proud to be a dependable partner" for the island nation.

The leaders of seven member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) were invited to Modi's inauguration in 2014, while leaders of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) were invited to his swearing-in in 2019.