The recent visit of former President Mohamed Nasheed and former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, at the official invitation of India’s BJP government, is viewed as a strategic move to exert influence over the Maldivian political landscape. This initiative is seen as an attempt to establish a proxy force that prioritizes the interests of India and Israel in opposition to the current administration of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.
Experts have pointed out that the MDP’s history of close diplomatic ties with Israel, alongside the controversies surrounding the MDN—which was accused of undermining the core tenets of Islam—aligns with the ideological leanings of India’s right-wing Hindu nationalist movement. Furthermore, it is believed that a key objective of this engagement is to introduce sophisticated methods of electoral interference to the Maldives. The ultimate goal appears to be the utilization of foreign influence to weaken the Islamic identity and sovereign integrity of the nation.
