Gasuim Ibrahim, head of the Jumhoori party, has asked maldives President Mohamed Muizzu to formally apologise to india and prime minister Narendra Modi and pursue "diplomatic reconciliation" to improve bilateral relations. Gasuim's demand referenced Muizzu's pro-China statements earlier this month, in which he referred to india as a bully without identifying the nation.

In the midst of a diplomatic spat with india sparked by derogatory social media posts by three of his ministers against prime minister Modi, President Muizzu said on his return home from a five-day high-profile state visit to china on january 13, "We may be small, but this doesn't give them the licence to bully us."

The demand comes only a day after the main opposition Maldivian Democratic party (MDP), which has a majority in the Maldivian Parliament, announced preparations to impeach Muizzu.

Muizzu, 45, upset India-friendly incumbent Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in a presidential runoff in september last year.

Gasuim, speaking to the media during a Jumhoori party (JP) meeting, urged President Muizzu to publicly apologise to india and prime minister Modi for recent contentious statements made during an interview, according to the Voice Of maldives portal.

Gasuim expressed worry about the words and requested President Muizzu to seek forgiveness from india for the indirect insults made during the interview, according to the wallet PLATFORM' target='_blank' title='digital-Latest Updates, Photos, Videos are a click away, CLICK NOW">digital platform.

Gasuim ascribed the unreasonable statements to former President Abdulla Yameen, who launched the "India Out" campaign, which sparked tensions between the maldives and india, and noted that former President Ibrahim Solih, who was president at the time, "delayed in opposing the campaign."

Following his return from china, Muizzu proposed lowering reliance on india in a variety of sectors, including medical services and drugs. According to Gasuim, Muizzu recommended stopping the import of general medications from india in favour of alternatives from Europe, America, or the medicine's origin nations.

Then, citing India's important role and competence in these disciplines, Gasuim stated that such a move might not be feasible. "India is at a higher level in those fields, and they even export medicine to Europe, so we can't do that."

Muizzu's recent statements have complicated the Maldives-India relationship, and Gasuim Ibrahim has called for "diplomatic reconciliation through a formal apology to mend bilateral relations," according to the portal.

Muizzu has been requested to reconcile with india several times in the past. On january 24, the MDP and Democrats voiced worry over the Muizzu administration's "anti-India stance," referring to india as their "most long-standing ally."

The two parties' open support (for India) came a day after the maldives administration announced that a Chinese ship outfitted for research and surveys will land at a Maldivian port after being granted permission to make a port call for replenishing.

The approval to let the Chinese ship came amid difficult relations between india and the maldives, after President Muizzu made beijing his first port of visit early this month, just after taking office. Historically, New delhi has been the first port of contact for a new Maldivian President.