Maldives President Mohamed Muizou must stop being “obstinate” and seek dialogue with neighbors to overcome financial challenges, his predecessor Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said.

Saleh’s comments came days after Muizou, widely seen as a pro-China leader, urged India to provide debt relief to the archipelago nation.

Muizou, 45, defeated Saleh, 62, in the presidential election held last September.

Saleh, who was speaking at an event in Male to drum up support for the Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) parliamentary candidates running for the four Mafannu constituencies, said he had seen media reports that Muizou wanted to settle debt with India Negotiate restructuring issues.

But Adhadhu.com news portal quoted Saleh as saying that the financial challenges were not caused by Indian loans.

Saleh said that the Maldives owes 18 billion Maldives to China and 8 billion Maldives to India, with a repayment period of 25 years.

“However, I believe our neighbors will help. We have to stop being stubborn and seek dialogue. There are many areas that can help us. But he [Muizzu] Don’t want to compromise.i feel them [the government] Only now are we starting to understand the situation,” Saleh said.

The former president said the administration is deceiving the public and reviving programs started by Democratic administrations. He said ministers were now telling lies to cover up those lies.

Muizu criticized India during and after the presidential campaign, and relations between the two countries have deteriorated since he took office in November.

He demanded complete withdrawal of 88 Indian military personnel on three aviation platforms used for humanitarian and medical evacuations in the Maldives by May 10. The first batch of 26 Indian military personnel has left the island nation and has been replaced by civilians.

In his first interview with the media, Muizou claimed that he had not taken any actions or remarks that might cause tension between the two countries.

Maldivian news portal Edition.mv said in a report on Thursday that India will continue to be the Maldives’ closest ally, stressing that there is no doubt about this.

Muizur’s conciliatory remarks towards India come ahead of the Maldives’ parliamentary elections scheduled for April 21.

Although it has been four months since the new government took office, he is yet to visit India. The report pointed out that the first overseas visit of the Maldivian president is always to India. However, Muizu visited China in January, his first state visit.