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Indian Express
2 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
PM Modi's visit to the Maldives: A diplomatic reset
When President Mohamed Muizzu, riding the 'India Out' campaign, rose to power in the Maldives in September 2023, he signalled a clear intent to politically distance Malé from New Delhi. His January 2024 visit to China and his call for India to withdraw troops from the Maldives complicated ties with India. In this context, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to the island nation to attend its Independence Day celebrations, during which several economic agreements were signed and projects inaugurated, marks a significant turnaround in bilateral relations after a period of strain. The Maldives is a key pillar of India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy. Beyond deep-rooted cultural ties and a history of friendly relations — India was among the first to establish diplomatic ties following that country's independence in 1965 — it sits atop critical sea lanes in the Indian Ocean, through which a major share of global trade and India's energy imports pass. It is an integral part of India's maritime security architecture. India provides economic support and assistance to the Maldives in infrastructure and healthcare. Tourism, which accounts for nearly a third of the Maldivian economy, saw Indians as the largest group of visitors for several consecutive years up to 2023. This trend was disrupted in 2024, after derogatory remarks by three Maldivian junior ministers (suspended subsequently) triggered a diplomatic row and led to a sharp decline in Indian tourist arrivals. In a bid to reverse this, President Muizzu, speaking to reporters over the weekend, acknowledged that 'India is one of the major countries that helps the Maldives with tourism. With PM Modi's visit, it is going to increase a lot.' Apart from meeting senior government officials, PM Modi also held separate interactions with the main Opposition party and leaders from across the political spectrum in the Maldives. These engagements reflect New Delhi's effort to insulate bilateral relations from the ebb and flow of politics between and within both countries. On the China question, it would be unrealistic to expect Malé to avoid doing business with Beijing. As the world's second-largest economy, China presents significant opportunities for the Maldives, and the latter is entitled to make its own choices. Talks on loan restructuring with China, however, initiated during President Muizzu's state visit in January 2024, have seen little progress so far. As a key neighbour and regional power, India can counterbalance Beijing's influence by making better offers — especially given that Maldives's external debt burden has worsened as a result of China's lending practices. New Delhi, therefore, should keep using its leverage to further its interests and maintain close relations, while keeping a watchful eye on Malé's political environment.
The Print
22-07-2025
- Business
- The Print
India-Maldives open FTA talks as Modi set to visit island nation amidst diplomatic thaw
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Maldives in the second leg of a two-nation visit that is scheduled to begin 23 July. The Indian leader will travel to the United Kingdom, before travelling to the Maldives on 25 July. He will be the guest of honour at Maldives' 60th Independence Day celebrations. 'On the economic front, one recent development which I would like to share with you is that both countries [India and Maldives] are in discussions to negotiate a free trade agreement and an investment treaty as well, while new areas of cooperation, including renewable energy, and fisheries are also in the works,' Misri said at a special press briefing. New Delhi: India and the Maldives have begun preliminary discussions for a Free Trade Agreement, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said Tuesday. Malé has drawn most of the $400 million, which is the total amount covered by the first of the two currency swap agreements with India. This has helped the archipelago stave off difficult outcomes for its economy. The preliminary discussions for a FTA between India and Maldives comes after Malé's free trade agreement with China came into effect from 1 January 2025. At the time India had voiced serious concerns over the agreement, which was first signed in 2014 and agreed to by the Maldivian Parliament in 2017. However, following the change in government in 2018, with Ibrahim Solih assuming the presidency, the agreement between Maldives and China was suspended. Malé has also engaged with Turkey for discussions on an FTA. Modi's is set to be the first state visit to be hosted by Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, since the latter assumed the presidency in November 2023. Ties have gone through a serious change in the last year, especially as Muizzu had swept to power on an 'India Out' campaign. However, the fragile state of the Maldivian economy has required New Delhi and Malé to deepen their economic engagement, with India first announcing the roll over of a $50 million loan in May 2024. New Delhi further withdrew its roughly 80 military troops from the island country and replaced them with a technical mission following negotiations with Malé during the first half of 2024. In the last decade, China has stepped up efforts to deepen ties with Malé, assisting with a number of infrastructure projects worth over a billion dollars. Muizzu made a state visit to China in January 2024, where over 20 agreements were signed between the two countries. Also read: Rajnath set to meet Maldivian defence minister, India keen to hear what Malé needs Diplomatic thaw amidst financial difficulties In June 2024, American ratings agency Fitch had downgraded the Maldivian economy to 'junk' status due to a potential liquidity crisis. In September 2024, India rolled over another $50 million loan to Maldives, which helped thaw the diplomatic chill that had set in during the first half of 2024. Muizzu eventually made it to India in October 2024 for a state visit. One of the outcomes of the visit were twin currency lines announced by New Delhi worth $400 million and Rs 3,000 crore respectively. On Tuesday, Misri said, 'We extended a considerable amount of emergency financial assistance to the Government of Maldives, including through instruments such as the twin currency swap arrangements that were done when President Muizzu was also here (New Delhi) for $400 million as well as 30 billion Indian rupees.' 'It is a fact that it [Maldives] has faced a stressful financial environment, and that is why we have been giving a helping hand to Maldives in order to stabilise the financial situation. Our recent assistance has led to accretions in the foreign exchange position of the Maldives, and it is this accretion, as a matter of fact, that has been cited by international financial organisations, including the IMF, as a positive factor that has helped Maldives stave off outcomes that would be difficult for it,' added the Indian Foreign Secretary. According to Misri, most of the $400 million swap line has been drawn by Malé and the Rs 3,000 crore swap line will soon be drawn upon, as Maldives looks to protect its economy. Over the years, India has assisted Maldives with over a billion dollars in development assistance, along with the emergency financing it has given in the last 10 months. Modi's third visit to the island nation is set to see new development projects announced, highlighted Misri, while discussions are ongoing for new consulates to be opened by the respective governments. (Edited by Viny Mishra) Also read: China FTA won't benefit Maldives, hope India steps in to help avert debt default—ex-president Nasheed
Zawya
14-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Emirates expands Premium Economy to Male, Colombo
Emirates has deployed its retrofitted Boeing 777 on flights EK656/657 and EK660/661 between Dubai and Malé, offering an elevated travel experience. The aircraft also features the highly-acclaimed Premium Economy offering, providing passengers with an elevated experience. From 18 July, Emirates will deploy its retrofitted four-class Boeing 777 on flights EK650/651 between Dubai and Colombo, becoming the airline's second daily flight in Sri Lanka to feature Premium Economy seats. Emirates operates four daily flights to Malé, three of which are served with the retrofitted Boeing 777 aircraft. The airline will now serve customers traveling to Sri Lanka with its award-winning Premium Economy cabins on two aircraft types: the retrofitted Boeing 777 featuring refreshed interiors and enhanced cabins, and the latest aircraft to join its fleet, the Emirates A350, which operates as EK654/655. The four-class Boeing 777 features 8 First Class suites, 40 Business Class seats in 1-2-1 configuration, 24 spacious Premium Economy seats, and 256 ergonomically designed Economy seats. The new Emirates Boeing 777 Business Class is inspired by the fresh, open, and contemporary design elements of Emirates' iconic A380 experience, featuring soft leather cream seats accented with champagne trim, lighter wood panelling, a mini-bar, and other thoughtful touches. Premium Economy passengers also enjoy a generous checked-in baggage allowance of 35kg and a further 10kg of carry-on baggage. The deployment of the Emirates B777 on the Dubai-Malé and Dubai-Colombo routes reflects the airline's commitment to delivering premium travel experiences to its customers across its network. -TradeArabia News Service Copyright 2024 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Times
05-07-2025
- Times
I'd always dreamed of going to the Maldives — but not quite like this
I'd always dreamt of going to the Maldives. I'd imagined sipping cocktails at sunset with my husband, Jesse, walking hand in hand down white-sand beaches and sharing romantic candlelit dinners. I definitely hadn't pictured packing up iPads, snacks and swimming goggles and bracing myself for an 11-hour night flight with our three children during October half-term. Yet the moment we stepped off the 35-minute speedboat transfer from Malé airport to our hotel, Ozen Reserve Bolifushi, I stopped worrying that I'd made a terrible mistake. The kids — Basil, 12, Sonny, 9, and Inca, 5 — were wide-eyed at the deep blue water, the icing-sugar-white beach and the traditional boduberu drumming that greeted us. Even as I braced myself for complaints when they were handed fresh coconut water to drink straight from the shell with a straw, they happily sipped away — though I know they'd flat-out refuse to go near a coconut at home. Stepping onto the island seemed to cast a spell on everyone. And that was before we saw our Earth Pool Pavilion, a huge villa-of-dreams with three bedrooms, plenty of living spaces so that we never got under each other's feet, and even a snooker table with sea views. It was impossibly chic: all whites, wood and marble, with brightly coloured rugs and cushions and expansive floor-to-ceiling windows that opened onto a palm tree-lined private pool and the beach a few steps beyond. I expected the kids to be exhausted after hours of travelling yet, on seeing that pool, they went straight to the suitcase to rummage for their swimming trunks. It really did feel like heaven, and not least because we had a butler who unpacked our cases and hung up all our clothes in immaculate colour-coordinated order. Days proved gloriously simple: we spent hours on the beach, building sandcastles, eating picnics and running in and out of water that was as warm as a heated pool. Though we'd been on beach holidays before, the kids were stunned at how clear the sea was, and at the lack of seaweed and all the other things that usually annoy them. Even I swam happily with them every day, and I'm usually the one on the shore waiting with towels. 'Mummy,' Sonny said at one point, gazing out on a sea so turquoise it almost hurt my eyes. 'Is this fake?' Read our full guide to Maldives Before we left home, friends had voiced concerns that the children might be bored in a place more used to welcoming couples. But there was so much for them to do, both in our first hotel and at its sister property Ozen Life Maadhoo, where we moved after three nights. There were dolphin-spotting cruises, banana boat rides, outdoor cinema evenings and bikes that we borrowed every day to cycle from one end of the island to the other. We went out fishing together on a boat at sunset and zipped over the waves on an inflatable crazy couch; my sons even ended up in the staff quarters, playing football with some of the staff. Plus, both hotels had excellent kids' clubs where Inca made new friends and spent contented afternoons painting or making Halloween decorations for that evening's beach party. While she was happily occupied and the boys were splashing around the large communal pool with their dad, I slipped away to the spa for a massage overlooking the water. Apparently a family holiday could be relaxing after all. My highlight was taking Basil for his first scuba-diving session, swimming alongside him while he spotted fish darting in and out of the coral reef. It was like something from The Little Mermaid, seeing all those colours shimmering in the clear water. Experiencing something new like that with your child is truly magical. Basil couldn't wait to rush back to tell the others what he'd seen and look up all the fish he'd encountered. It had opened up a whole new world for him, one he hadn't known existed. He still tells the story to anyone who will listen and is begging to go diving again. • Best time to visit the Maldives: when to go and what to do One morning we ordered a floating breakfast at our villa. I had to pinch myself, standing in the sunshine in our private pool with the kids as my orange juice glided past. Then they all started swimming and splashing the tray of food, making this possibly not the best thing to do with children (though it's undoubtedly very romantic if you're on honeymoon). • 24 of the best family hotels in the Maldives An all-inclusive package is generally a stress-free godsend, and not just in case you end up dealing with soggy croissants. At Bolifushi we had the run of pan-Asian, fine-dining and international restaurants offering everything from hand-tossed pizzas to seafood paella, plus a beach option serving Moroccan mezze and tagine that we enjoyed while sitting with our toes in the sand. The kids love curries at home so the Indian restaurant was a favourite, but Inca still only ate chicken nuggets and pasta dishes all week and no one batted an eyelid. Though I never expected my first time in the Maldives to involve children, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it as a family-friendly Boyce was a guest of Best at Travel, which has seven nights' all-inclusive at Ozen Life Maadhoo from £1,840pp, including flights, transfers and two spa treatments per villa, and seven nights' all-inclusive at Ozen Reserve Bolifushi from £2,575pp, including flights, transfers and two spa treatments per villa (
Daily Mail
04-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Resort review: CROSSROADS, Maldives
The Maldives is one of those destinations where people can't help but respond 'ooh' or 'oh my god!' when you tell them you're going there. However, the tropical paradise may be shunned by those who declare they couldn't possibly be 'stuck on an island with nothing to do' for a week. I'll admit, even I thought I might get bored. But then I went to CROSSROADS, and realised there are resorts in the Maldives offering much more than pure romance, seclusion and beds covered in flower petals for honeymooners. Just a 15 minute speedboat ride away from Malé airport, you'll find a large island made for activity and adventure, with so much to do that even the most active of guests would struggle to find time to twiddle their thumbs. Rooms and facilities First of all, as CROSSROADS is so close to the mainland, you don't have to deal with the faff of seaplane weight restrictions and timings to get there. The speedboats leave from just outside of the airport at least once an hour, but usually more often. The difference with this destination is that there are three resorts on it: Hard Rock Hotel, SAii Lagoon and SO/ Maldives (which I didn't visit). That means you have a much bigger variety and choice of places to eat, stay and play. On the whole resort, there are four pools, 14 restaurants, four bars and three spas, as well as the Maldives' first and only marina. Let's start with the Hard Rock hotel. It's a fantastic option for young families travelling to the Maldives as there is plenty to do, it has a casual, relaxed atmosphere, children under 12 stay for free, and the hotel offers a babysitting service. There are 178 spacious villas set out on the beach and over water, the latter of which I was lucky enough to stay in. Decor is as you would expect from the Hard Rock brand – casual but elevated and in this instance, with a tropical twist. The huge bathroom was able to accommodate three of us, despite the room technically being for two people, but an additional bed and body wasn't a bother at all. The platinum overwater villa also features a plunge pool on the back deck and steps straight down into the sea should you fancy joining the occasional baby shark, ray and fish that swim by in the crystal clear water. Don't worry, they tend to disappear as soon as you get in. I was unfortunate enough to experience a bout of bad weather during my trip, which is certainly not what I spent all those hours on the aeroplane dreaming of. The storm meant that I lost WiFi connection a couple of times, and the air conditioning also stopped working one night. Rainy it may have been, cold it was not. However after the issue was flagged with reception, it was quickly resolved by the heroic rain-poncho clad, torch-wielding maintenance men. The villa was a good 10-15 minute walk to reception, although guests are allocated bikes to get around. For those who aren't up for the walk, a golf buggy can be ordered to collect you from your room, but be sure to leave plenty of time for it to arrive (especially if the weather is bad). The second part of my trip was spent staying in SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton – the more 'grown-up' option (although children are still welcome, there is a kids club). In contrast to Hard Rock, which can sometimes feel a tad gimmicky, SAii was much more of a boho chic, peaceful retreat. It also offers villas on the beach and over water – 198 rooms in total – which are decorated with art and natural textures. This time the overwater villa didn't have a pool on the back deck, but it did have a bathtub, loungers and overwater hammock. The bikes at SAii aren't complementary, but the hotel has its own app where you can book buggies, request amenities, see daily activities and message the team directly regarding any queries. Food and drink Now, I don't mean to brag, but this was my second trip to the Maldives. While it was heavenly the first time round, the limited food options on the much smaller resort became quite repetitive. So I was delighted to find that was not the case at CROSSROADS. There's a huge variety of cuisines and restaurant options spread out across Hard Rock, SAii Lagoon and the marina, and almost all of them are open to everyone. We all know you'll end up paying a pretty penny to visit the Maldives, but rest assured you'll get bang for your buck at CROSSROADS, even with the food – the portions were generous everywhere I ate. I was on a Full Board Plus package, which meant that breakfast, lunch, dinner and non-alcoholic drinks were included in the price, but there are various tiers to choose from at a range of prices. The Hard Rock Cafe stays true to the brand with an American menu and decor inspired by musical artists. I strongly recommend the live music performances in the evenings for a lively night. The breakfast buffet, however, is served in the Sessions restaurant and includes traditional Maldivian cuisine as well as the usual cooked breakfast and continental bits. Plus, you can order omelettes and eggs cooked to your liking. Over at SAii Lagoon, the breakfast is another generous spread, similar to Hard Rock. Ms Olive Oyl is a must-visit. A dinner booking is romantic but I'd suggest going before the sun sets so you can enjoy the stunning view of the sea. The menu offers simple Mediterranean food done very well, and it also hosts sundowner drinks. If there's one restaurant you can take off the must-visit list, it's Tom Yam in the pool area. Fine for a quick bite, but my least favourite meal from the whole trip. Definitely visit the marina for meals too. I ate at the Jiao Wu Chinese restaurant and Kinkao Thai bistro which offered familiar dishes packed full of flavour. There's an Indian restaurant there, too. The star of the Marina has to be the Ministry of Crab. Founded by Chef Dharshan Munidasa, it's sister restaurant in Colombo, Sri Lanka has been named in the top 60 of Asia's 100 Best Restaurants. The menu celebrates the Sri Lankan mud crab, but there are meat and prawn options too. Major food lovers who are happy to splash the cash should book the surf and turf dining experience. It's so exclusive that they only take a few people in one night, where you're collected via buggy and driven to the first of three restaurants. It starts in the Japanese restaurant Nihonbashi Blue, where you try small plates of sashimi and maki. Next, you're driven over to Ministry of Crab to tuck into the infamous mud crabs, which is then followed by a short drive to the steak restaurant Carne Diem. Not only will you be stuffed with some of the Maldives' best food, but the whole experience is incredibly special. Dining outside in front of the marina, treated liked a VIP, eating innovative, delicious meals while sipping on top quality wine? A truly unforgettable experience. What to do As I mentioned earlier, I had a rare unlucky week with the weather, but that didn't make the trip a washout. Hard Rock have plenty of wet weather activities to keep people entertained, including Ju Jitsu, kickboxing, yoga, meditation, trapeze and aerial acrobatics classes. The Hard Rock spa is also worth a visit. Just in case you're not relaxed enough already, a treatment is sure to do the trick. I even got to choose what soundtrack I wanted before my deluxe full body massage, based on the mood I wanted to create. For outdoor activities, complimentary snorkelling gear and kayaks are provided. But even if you're not confident snorkelling, you can sign up to beginner classes before heading out on an expedition. There's a whole host of water sports too, including jet skis, surf boards, parasailing, scuba diving and excursions. Both Hard Rock and SAii Lagoon also have 24 hour gyms. Over at SAii, I really recommend a visit to the organic garden for green-fingered guests and those who love cooking. We were given a tour of the garden, where the chef explained what produce was growing and how it's used in the food they make. We then had a private cooking session in the garden, followed by lunch where we scoffed down the fruits of our labour from the kitchen. The beach club area at SAii has a chic vibe – it's not too crowded but has a fun atmosphere. The pool is incredible spacious and there are 120 daybeds and 200 seats around it, so no chance of fighting for a lounger here. Those brave enough to face the heat can take to the padel tennis courts too. Resort highlights The rain really could have ruined my trip – the Maldives is almost entirely about the weather and gorgeous views, after all – but thankfully CROSSROADS has so much to offer that I was still able to enjoy myself. I'd recommend the dolphin cruise – it was such a special moment to have the dolphins swim right by our boat, as was snorkelling along the reef. The cherry on top was that the staff across the resort were incredibly friendly and helpful. Rooms at The Hard Rock Hotel Maldives start from around £300 (or $399 USD) per night including breakfast. Visit the website here to find out more. Rooms at SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton start from around £220 (or $299 USD) per night including breakfast. Visit the website here to find out more. 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