New Delhi, July 17, 2025 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to travel to Malé on July 26, to attend Maldives’ Independence Day celebrations as the island nation marks its 60th year of independence. The visit underscores India’s renewed regional outreach and commitment to strengthening ties with its maritime and Himalayan neighbours.

This will be PM Modi’s first bilateral visit to the Maldives in his current term and comes amid efforts to recalibrate India’s foreign policy focus in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and South Asia.

Symbolic and Strategic Timing

The Prime Minister's presence at the national celebrations of the Maldives is being seen as a symbolic gesture of solidarity and friendship, at a time when China’s influence in the region has been growing. According to senior officials in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the visit is aimed at consolidating India’s maritime partnerships and building goodwill with new leadership in the Maldives.

This visit follows months of recalibration in India-Maldives relations, which had seen turbulence earlier due to domestic political shifts in Malé and increasing Chinese investments in strategic infrastructure.

Strengthening Maritime Diplomacy

India and the Maldives share deep defence and security cooperation, especially in the domains of maritime surveillance, hydrography, disaster management, and anti-terrorism training. PM Modi’s visit is expected to witness the signing of agreements on coastal radar systems, as well as developmental assistance in health and education.

India has already committed to funding the Greater Malé Connectivity Project, one of the largest infrastructure initiatives in the country. Discussions around its progress and newer development assistance may also be on the agenda.

Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Oli to Visit Delhi

In a parallel diplomatic development, the MEA is also working on finalising the first official visit of Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to India since he assumed office in early 2024. The visit is expected to take place in the coming months, and will be a crucial marker of India-Nepal ties, which have seen ups and downs in recent years.

Oli’s visit will focus on border cooperation, energy trade (particularly hydropower), cross-border infrastructure, and people-to-people exchanges. Sources indicate that both sides are keen to reset the tone of the bilateral relationship and put past tensions behind.

A Neighbourhood-First Policy in Action

The back-to-back regional engagements with Maldives and Nepal are being seen as part of the Modi government's “Neighbourhood First” policy, which aims to counter China’s growing presence in South Asia, while reviving and strengthening India’s traditional influence in the region.

MEA officials say these visits are a continuation of India’s quiet, consistent regional diplomacy, backed by aid, training, and infrastructure cooperation.

Regional Diplomacy in a Multipolar World

India’s recent diplomatic calendar has seen high-level engagements not just with the Global South, but also with its immediate neighbours, recognising that peace and stability in the region are prerequisites for national security and growth.

From Sri Lanka’s economic recovery packages, to Bhutan’s hydro-electric deals, and Bangladesh’s trade corridor expansions, India is working toward an integrated South Asian economic zone, with strong people-centric diplomacy at its core.

The upcoming engagements in Malé and New Delhi mark important milestones in this strategy.

Final Words

As PM Modi heads to Malé on July 26 to participate in Maldives’ Independence Day, and Nepal PM Oli gears up for a key diplomatic visit to Delhi, India appears poised to reclaim its central role in South Asian diplomacy, one visit at a time.

Further details on PM Modi's itinerary and the outcome of both visits are expected to be released by the MEA in the coming days.

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