New Delhi, Oct 13 (PTI) Maldives former foreign minister Dunya Maumoon is on an unofficial visit to India "on behalf of" former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and held personal meetings.

"Visiting Delhi, India for some unofficial meetings on behalf of my father Maumoon Abdul Gayoom," she wrote on Twitter.

Her visit comes as the Maldives is set to witness the formation of a new government under President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

Solih recently won the Maldives' presidential election, defeating strongman Abdulla Yameen, who was known to be close to China.

India had congratulated Solih on his victory.

India's ties with the Maldives came under strain after Yameen declared Emergency in the country on February 5, following an order by the country's Supreme Court to release a group of opposition leaders, who had been convicted in widely criticised trials.

India had criticised the Yameen government for the imposition of the Emergency and urged it to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The Emergency was lifted 45 days later.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)