The Maldives government has suspended three ministers for making derogatory remarks about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after his visit to Lakshadweep.
While the new Maldivian vice president attended the Indian Ocean Forum organised by China, skipping the Colombo Security Dialogue comprising India and other Indian Ocean Region states, the countrys new president visited Turkey in what was his maiden visit abroad. Male, meanwhile, announced it will open its embassy in Ankara.
Mohamed Muizzu, the president-elect of the Maldives, plans to remove Indian troops from the country but does not want to replace them with Chinese forces, saying he wants to avoid geopolitical rivalry.