Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, voted to office on an "India Out" plank last year, will be among seven dignitaries from India’s neighbourhood and the Indian Ocean region attending the swearing-in of Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi on Sunday evening.

The other six foreign dignitaries to have confirmed their participation are Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Seychelles Vice-President Ahmed Afif, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jagnauth, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda".

The external affairs ministry said the choice of invitees was in keeping with the highest priority India accords to its "Neighbourhood First" policy and SAGAR vision. SAGAR — Security and Growth for All in the Region — is the geopolitical framework for maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean.

This will be Muizzu’s first visit to India though he has been in office for more than six months. Normally, India is the first port of call for Maldivian Presidents, but Muizzu opted to go to Turkey first in keeping with his mandate to distance Male from New Delhi.

After the initial months of bitterness between the two capitals during which Muizzu got India to withdraw its troops from the archipelago, bilateral relations are returning to an even keel, particularly after India extended budgetary support to Male to deal with its debts.

Accepting the invitation, Muizzu appeared to make an oblique reference to the semblance of normalcy returning to the relationship. According to a statement issued by his office after the invitation was delivered to him by the Indian high commissioner in Male, Munu Mahawar, the President said "he looks forward to working with the Prime Minister to further strengthen the close relations with India, noting that Maldives-India relations are heading in the positive direction, as would be demonstrated by this visit".