Modi announced a $1.4 billion financial assistance package for the Maldives, which under Yameen, was closing access across sectors for India

Solih promised to reverse this and investigate the former administration's ties to China amid accusations of corruption.

A massive victory for Maldives President Ibu Solih's Maldives Democratic Party in Parliament and the return of ex-president Nasheed to active politics as a MP will boost India's strategic outreach in its Southern neighbourhood where China has been attempting to make inroads.

President Ibu Solih's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) won 67 out of 87 seats in parliament, a historic margin that will strengthen President Ibu Solih's mandate to investigate the former government's ties to China.

In the run-up to the elections, Solih’s party promised voters to investigate debts to China, which it fears could run as high as $3 billion. Increased Chinese investments and BRI designs in the Maldives had made India wary as Delhi has been a traditional net security provider in the region.

Since Solih’s election last year, India Maldives ties have revived of sorts. PM Narendra Modi visited Maldives for Solih’s inauguration in November and in December, received Solih in New Delhi on his first visit abroad after taking over as president.

Modi announced a $1.4 billion financial assistance package for the Maldives, which under Yameen, was closing access across sectors for India.

Sunday's parliament win will consolidate MDP's position and Indo-Maldives strategic partnership, sources said. Maldives revived its defence ties with India after Solih was elected to power.

"Today is a happy day," Solih said in a statement late Sunday. "Without exception, the biggest winners of today's elections are the Maldivian people. To have this election across the country under peaceful and civil conditions is a clear win for us as a society. That our campaign was issue-oriented and not based on hatred and narrow divisions is a win for our young democracy. That our government did not hinder those candidates with whom we did not agree is a big win for the country."

Yameen had moved Maldives away from its traditional ally India and snuggled up to China, inviting investment under Beijing's expansive Belt and Road Initiative.

Ahead of last year's election, former president Mohamed Nasheed, then in exile in Sri Lanka, claimed as much as 80% of the Maldives' foreign debt was owed to China.

Solih promised to reverse this and investigate the former administration's ties to China amid accusations of corruption.

Speaking to supporters on Sunday, he said a new commission would be tasked with "investigating corruption and recovering state assets function with the support of the new Parliament."

"The work of the commission investigating unresolved deaths and enforced disappearances will go ahead more quickly with the support of this Parliament," he said.