India has stepped up its development assistance to the Maldives after the two leaders held talks in New Delhi in a bid to repair strained ties that saw the president of the Indian Ocean archipelago forging closer relations with China.

The president of the Maldives swept into power a year ago on a campaign to push India out of the island nation’s affairs and draw closer to China. Now, as a debt crisis looms and earlier Chinese loans come due,

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks on Monday, with New Delhi promising to strengthen strategic cooperation as the island nation recovers from an economic crisis.