G. Balasubramanian appointed as next Indian envoy to Maldives

Seasoned Indian diplomat G. Balasubramanian has been appointed to replace Munu Mahawar as New Delhi’s top envoy in the Maldives.

The Indian External Affairs Ministry announced the appointment in a brief press statement on Monday.

Balasubramanian, an Indian Foreign Service officer from the 1998 batch, currently serves as the Indian high commissioner to Nigeria.

He is expected to take up his new assignment shortly, according to the Indian External Affairs Ministry.

Balasubramanian will replace Mahawar, who has held the post of Indian high commissioner to the Maldives since November 2021.

The outgoing Mahawar had served as India’s top envoy through the most turbulent times in relations between Male’ and New Delhi.

Balasubramanian's career in the Indian foreign service includes significant assignments across key diplomatic missions, such as Moscow, Washington DC, and Bangkok, where he has served as Deputy Chief of Mission and India's Deputy Permanent Representative to United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).

The outgoing Mahawar had served as India’s top envoy through the most turbulent times in relations between Male’ and New Delhi.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s People’s National Congress (PNC) had run its 2023 presidential elections campaign on an ‘India Out’ platform, alleging that the then- Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) administration had signed secretive agreements with India that threatened Maldives’ security and sovereignty.

Relations between Male’ and New Delhi had been strained in the early days of President Muizzu’s presidency after he demanded that India withdraw its troops from Maldives – executing a pledge he made during his presidential campaign. Things escalated further after three Maldivian deputy ministers made disparaging remarks regarding India and Indian Prime Minister Modi following a social media post promoting India’s Lakshadweep as an alternative tourist destination to the Maldives.

The Maldives Foreign Ministry was quick to distance itself from the remarks, saying that they do not represent the views of the Male’ government. The three junior ministers were suspended, and two of them – Mariyam Shiuna and Malsha Shareef resigned last month ahead of the current state visit.

But despite the earlier turmoil, officials from both Male’ and Delhi repeatedly expressed keenness to maintaining relations and engaged in several high-level visits between the two countries.

The incoming high commissioner Balasubramania will step into his new role as Maldives and India repairs and seeks to reinforce historic cultural and economic times.

His career in the Indian foreign service includes significant assignments across key diplomatic missions, such as Moscow, Washington DC, and Bangkok, where he has served as Deputy Chief of Mission and India's Deputy Permanent Representative to United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).