Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated the Maldivian President, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and the Speaker of the Parliament, former President, Mohamed Nasheed on the Maldives’ readmission in to the Commonwealth.

Taking to Twitter last night, the Indian Prime Minister congratulated the Maldivian government and its people on the readmission. In a follow-up Tweet, Modi said that he is looking forward to see the Maldives play a larger role in the comity of nations and realising the full potential as well as the aspirations of its people.

Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland also congratulated the Maldives on the readmission saying that it marks the end of a process that began 13 months ago, in December 2018, when President Solih wrote to the Secretary General expressing the country’s interest in re-joining.

Maldives joined the Commonwealth on 9 July 1952 in the Presidency of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. However, the country left the Commonwealth on 13 October 2013 following accusations by the government of President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom saying that the Commonwealth’s Ministerial Action Group have influenced internal politics of the Maldives though sanctions.

Re-joining the Commonwealth was a campaign pledge of the President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Following his election win, President Solih requested to join the Commonwealth on 7 December 2018 with the approval from the parliament.

Commonwealth issued a statement saying that the readmission of the Maldives back to the Commonwealth was with the discussion and approval of other member countries.

With the official readmission to the Commonwealth, the Maldives gets the opportunity to take part in the Commonwealth Leader’s Conference in Kigali, Rwanda from 22-28 June 2020.