In a recent development, both India and the Maldives have firmly rejected claims made by The Washington Post regarding an alleged conspiracy to destabilize the administration of Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu. During India’s Ministry of External Affairs’ weekly press conference on January 3rd, a question was raised about the controversial report. Spokesperson Randir Jaiswal dismissed the accusations, suggesting that both the publication and its journalist harbor a personal bias against India. “Hence, I leave it to you to believe what they are saying. As we see it, there is no trust in things they say,” he remarked.
In a parallel statement, Maldives Foreign Minister Dr. Abdulla Khaleel, currently visiting India officially, refuted the allegations in an exclusive interview with Wion News. “It’s untrue, I’m not sure from where they have received the evidence, but it’s totally untrue,” Dr. Khaleel asserted regarding The Washington Post’s report.
The contentious article alleged that India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) covertly considered plans to undermine President Muizzu’s government through a “Democratic Renewal Initiative.” This purported initiative aimed to impeach Muizzu by allegedly bribing lawmakers and officials with $6 million supposedly sourced from India. However, these efforts reportedly failed due to insufficient parliamentary backing and concerns over potential instability in the Maldives.
