Maldives Foreign Minister Iruthisham Adam has signalled a firm push to conclude a long-anticipated Free Trade Agreement with India before the close of 2026, describing bilateral ties as “long-standing” and “very close” during her first official visit to the Indian capital as foreign minister.
Speaking to WION’s Sidhant Sibal after her meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Minister Iruthisham said negotiations on the proposed pact were already under way. “Negotiations and consultations have already been convened. We will try to sign the free trade agreement this year,” she said, calling the deal an “excellent signal” for the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Diplomatic ties between Male and New Delhi were established on 1 November 1965, shortly after the Maldives gained independence. India was among the first nations to recognise the island state, and the two governments are marking six decades of formal relations this year. Negotiations for the India-Maldives Free Trade Agreement were formally launched during President Mohamed Muizzu’s state visit to New Delhi in October 2024.
A Reset After a Turbulent Period
Minister Iruthisham’s visit comes against the backdrop of a steady recalibration in relations following a period of friction tied to the “India Out” sentiment that surfaced early in President Muizzu’s term. The foreign minister suggested that past tensions may have been driven by outside influences rather than by the two governments themselves.
“Any difficulty or misunderstanding may or might have been, we do not know how it can be, or it could be from external sources,” she said, adding that the present administrations in both capitals were committed to rebuilding trust. “We believe that we will strengthen the relations.”
Minister Iruthisham underlined that the Maldives’ foreign policy under President Muizzu and India’s Neighbourhood First policy were complementary rather than competing, a message intended to set the tone for the next phase of engagement.
Development Cooperation and Financial Support
The foreign minister highlighted a broad portfolio of Indian-backed development projects covering infrastructure, social housing, transport, harbours and airports. “These are very important projects that impact the lives of the people,” she said, adding that both governments had agreed to accelerate delivery. “We will make sure that from both sides, we will try to step up and speed up the process and ensure that the projects are implemented timely and delivered.”
India has also continued to act as a financial backstop for the island nation. In April 2026, the Reserve Bank of India approved the first drawdown of a 30 billion rupee facility for the Maldives under the Indian Rupee window of the SAARC Currency Swap Framework, signed during President Muizzu’s 2024 visit. The withdrawal took effect on the same day Male settled an earlier 400 million dollar swap facility availed in October 2024.
Minister Iruthisham said the support would help cushion the impact of disruptions from the conflict in West Asia on supply chains, food, fuel and medicine. “This facility will help us in the short-term, supplying the food commodities, subsidies,” she said.
She also confirmed that the Maldives had cleared two earlier debt obligations of 50 million dollars each, due to India in April and September. “We have settled this payment. We do not have a default, which would be very hard on the people,” Minister Iruthisham said.
Tourism, Defence and Maritime Security
Tourism, a sector that accounts for a sizeable share of the Maldivian economy, remained a central focus of the discussions. India is currently the sixth-largest source market for visitors to the archipelago. “We have noted that India is the 6th largest tourist market for the Maldives. With the diversification of the market that will help people-to-people contact,” Minister Iruthisham said.
On defence and security, the foreign minister pointed to capacity-building programmes, joint exercises and continued Indian assistance to Maldivian forces. Both nations, she noted, share Indian Ocean geography and cooperate through regional forums including the Indian Ocean Rim Association and the Colombo Security Conclave to advance “peace and security in the region.”
Minister Iruthisham also addressed the broader maritime concerns arising from the conflict in West Asia, particularly disruptions in and around the Strait of Hormuz. She reiterated the Maldives’ position in favour of unimpeded sea lanes, stressing that “maritime passages are allowed so that the essential goods and the needed supplies reach the people.”
A Veteran Diplomat at the Helm
Minister Iruthisham brings 25 years of diplomatic experience to the role. A former High Commissioner of the Maldives to London and the recipient of a top Asian-Oceania diplomat award, she is the second woman to serve as the country’s foreign minister. Her visit, the first in that capacity, is being read in both capitals as a signal that the Maldives intends to move past recent strains and lock in concrete deliverables, with the proposed Free Trade Agreement positioned as the centrepiece deliverable for the 60th anniversary year.
