During his visit to India, Maldives’ foreign minister Moosa Zameer underscored that President Mohamed Muizzu’s choice to visit China before India was primarily driven by convenience, rather than signaling any fundamental geopolitical realignment. Zameer also addressed rumors concerning potential military agreements with China, stressing that the Maldives has no plans to allow foreign militaries to operate on its territory.

While 90-year-old Bali and 68-year-old Chiranjeevi were given Padma Vibhushan, Beevi, Cama, Rajagopal, Vijayakant, Rinpochey and Vyas were conferred Padma Bhushan

President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Padma Awards to several prominent personalities on April 22, 2024. The awards are divided into three categories – Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. These awards are considered one of the highest civilian honours in the country and are given to individuals who have rendered exceptional service in various fields. The President had approved 132 Padma awards for 2024, comprising five Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan, and 110 Padma Shri awards.