A post is being extensively circulated on social media, suggesting that India has purchased 28 islands from the Maldives. Many online users allege that Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu personally signed the agreement and transferred ownership of the islands to India.
One of the posts reads: (See below.👇)
The above post can be seen here (archive). More such posts can be seen here and here.
FACT CHECK
NewsMobile fact-checked the viral claim, and found it to be Misleading.
Searching with keywords, the NM team could not find any credible report, suggesting that India bought islands from the Maldives. However, we came across a PTI report, dated August 10, 2024, stating that “India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar handed over to the Maldives a massive water and sanitation project worth $110 million in funding from India at 28 islands covering seven per cent of the population of the archipelagic nation.”
On the same day, Maldives President Muizzu took to his official X handle stating that 28 islands of the Maldives were handed over for water and sewerage projects.
It was a pleasure to meet @DrSJaishankar today and join him in the official handover of water and sewerage projects in 28 islands of the Maldives. I thank the Government of India, especially Prime Minister @narendramodi for always supporting the Maldives. Our enduring partnership… pic.twitter.com/fYtFb5QI6Q
— Dr Mohamed Muizzu (@MMuizzu) August 10, 2024
The details of the project were outlined in the official press release on the MEA website.
Additionally, the Indian government’s fact-check wing PIB Fact Check also clarified that the claim in circulation is FAKE.
Several social media posts claim that the President of Maldives has signed an agreement to hand over 28 islands of Maldives to India#PIBFactCheck
❌ This claim is Fake
✅ India & Maldives jointly inaugurated projects of water and sewerage network in 28 islands of Maldives pic.twitter.com/J6Vyb6D7KZ
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) August 13, 2024
Therefore, with the above findings, it can be concluded that India has not bought 28 islands from the Maldives.
