Bangladesh, Aug. 5 -- On July 26, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was honored as the Guest of Honor at the Maldives 60th Independence Day celebrations — a powerful symbol of renewed bilateral warmth. Just months earlier, many commentators — including YouTuber Dhruv Rathee — had derided Indias regional diplomacy as a “total disaster,” asserting that Prime Minister Modi and External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar had failed to protect Indian interests in the neighborhood. Their claims gained momentum after Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu spearheaded the aggressive “India Out” campaign, expelled Indian military personnel, and broke convention by visiting Beijing for his first official forei...