There have been diplomatic relations between Germany and Maldives since 1966. The German Embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka, handles official business. Germany is represented by an honorary consul in the Maldivian capital Malé, while the Republic of Maldives opened an embassy in Berlin in September 2016.

Germany began early on to assist Maldives in its democratisation process and is supporting the development of democratic and rule-of-law structures through a broad-based joint legal advisory project. Other main focuses of cooperation are environmental protection and climate action. In February 2026, Federal President Steinmeier welcomed his counterpart, President Muizzu, on the first official visit to Germany by a Maldivian Head of State.

Tourism is by far the largest economic sector in Maldives (around 29% of GDP), with German tourists making up the fifth-largest group (ahead of India, behind the UK). The volume of trade with Germany totals approximately 67 million US dollars, with Maldives chiefly importing foodstuffs, machinery and chemical products from Germany.