Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed has refuted a report by The Washington Post that suggested the opposition sought $6 million from India to support a conspiracy to impeach the current President, Mohamed Muizzu. Nasheed stated he was not aware of any legitimate efforts to undermine Muizzu’s presidency and emphasized that India would never endorse such actions, insisting it has always supported the democratic principles of the Maldives.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Nasheed expressed his skepticism towards the claims in the report and reiterated his belief that India has consistently respected the Maldives’ sovereignty and democratic process.
The Washington Post article alleged that opposition politicians in the Maldives proposed paying bribes to 40 members of parliament, including some from Muizzu’s own party, to facilitate the impeachment process. According to the article, an internal document titled “Democratic Renewal Initiative” detailed plans that included payments to senior army and police officers, as well as three influential criminal gangs, to ensure Muizzu’s removal from office. The conspirators purportedly aimed to collect 87 million Maldivian rufiyaa, or about $6 million, which they allegedly intended to source from India.
Furthermore, the article speculated that an officer from India’s intelligence agency, R&AW, had discussed plans to replace President Muizzu during his early months in office. This discussion allegedly involved two Indian intermediaries with political connections in the Maldives.
No official comment from India’s Ministry of External Affairs has been issued regarding the claims outlined in the report, but government sources have strongly denied any suggestion of India’s involvement in efforts to displace Muizzu. Relations between India and the Maldives have improved recently, especially after Prime Minister Modi invited President Muizzu for his inauguration and during his subsequent state visit to India. In an interview during the visit, Muizzu emphasized his commitment to safeguarding India’s security interests.
