Maldives and Lankan leaders give up anti-India stance after Modi’s diplomatic outreach

Colombo: Charmed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “diplomatic spell”, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu and Sri Lankan President Anura Dissanayake - two leaders who backed a strong anti-India policy before coming to power in their respective nations - now seem to have made a major shift in their approach towards New Delhi, the Lankan media cited on Wednesday. 

The observations were made during Dissanayake’s ongoing July 28-30 State Visit to the Maldives which took place almost immediately after PM Modi’s landmark visit to Male, last week.

“With the end of Modi’s visit to the Maldives, Sri Lanka’s pro-China JVP leader, President Anura, has gone to the Maldives at the invitation of the Maldivian President. What happened to Anura, and to the JVP, is the same as what happened to the Maldivian President. They also showed a strong anti-India policy before coming to power,” a report by Lankan media outlet Mawrata News stated.

Last December, Dissanayake, while visiting India on what was his first official foreign visit since assuming office, had thanked India for its “immense support” during the unprecedented economic crisis and also assured Prime Minister Modi that he will not allow the island nation to be used in any way that is detrimental to the interest of India. (IANS)

Also Read: ‘Bipartisan support for strong India-Maldives friendship’: PM Modi meets members of different political parties

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