46 countries are to send their representatives to attend the inauguration ceremony with Prime Minister Modi flying in to the island nation for the event.
Ibrahim Mohamed Solih will take oath as the new president of Maldives in Male in a ceremony that will be attended by representatives of 46 countries including Prime Minister Narendra Mody.
The ceremony will take place from 4.30 pm to 5.30 pm (local time) at the national soccer stadium in Male.
Solih had defeated pro-China strongman Abdulla Yameen in presidential elections in September.
46 countries are to send their representatives to attend the inauguration ceremony with Prime Minister Modi flying in to the island nation for the event. Modi will be the highest ranking visitor at the inauguration at the event in the capital Male.
This will be the first visit of Prime Minister Modi to the Maldives. Maldives is the only SAARC country PM Modi did not visit after taking charge in 2014.
Announcing the visit, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had last week said, "Prime Minister has accepted the invitation with pleasure. In keeping with her Neighborhood First policy, India looks forward to closely working with the Maldives in further deepening our partnership. PM will return to New Delhi on the same night."
Maldivian news organisation Raajje has reported that the inauguration stage "resembles the Maldives parliament."
China, Japan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, US, UAE, Palestine, Morocco, Seychelles, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Serbia will also be among the countries represented at the ceremony. SAARC will be represented by the secretary general of the grouping Amjad Hussain Sial.
Former president of Sri Lanka Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga will also be present at the oath-taking ceremony. Sri Lanka is also sending Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Sarath Amunugama and Minister of Provincial Councils, Local Government and Sports Faiszer Mustapha.
Asian heavyweights China and Japan are also sending envoys. Bejing is sending Luo Shugang Minister of Culture and Tourism as Special Envoy of President Xi Jinping while Tokyo is sending Wataru Takeshita Member of House of Representatives of Japan as Special Envoy of the Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
After the ceremony, a reception will take place at Kurumba Maldives. Modi is scheduled to meet Solih at 6.15 pm local time.
Meanwhile, former President Yameen has decided to boycott the oath taking ceremony with the spokesperson at the President’s Office Ibrahim Muaz Ali announcing the decision on Twitter, saying the outgoing president believes that an important right of the people of Maldives has been seized and justice has not been served.
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