India - Maldives: Significance of President Muizzu’s New Delhi Visit
STORIES, ANALYSES, EXPERT VIEWS
The President of Maldives, Mohamed Muizzu, was one of seven leaders from India’s neighbourhood who attended Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in Muizzu’s presence, writes Arjun Sengupta (Senior sub editor, Indian Express) “was significant, given the way he has positioned himself politically vis à vis India, and the crucial strategic aspect to the India-Maldives relationship.”
Muizzu openly aligned with China
Muizzu came to power on November 17 last year on an ‘India Out’ plank. Like his mentor, former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, under whose rule (2013-18) the India-Maldives relationship deteriorated severely, Muizzu has openly aligned his country with China, India’s geopolitical rival in the Indian Ocean.
In January, Muizzu broke with a Maldivian tradition to choose Beijing over New Delhi for his first foreign visit as President. He met President Xi Jinping, and signed 20 agreements covering areas ranging from tourism to social housing and e-commerce. In March, Malé signed an agreement with Beijing to obtain free ‘non-lethal’ military equipment and training from China — the first ever military deal between the two countries.
The Chinese influence in the Maldives, writes Sengupta “has increased steadily over the past couple of decades. The island nation is part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which has led to an influx of Chinese money and a strengthening of the relationship between the two countries — at the expense of India.
“Muizzu’s presidency and the anti-India sentiment fanned by sections of the Maldivian political class is a culmination of this process.”
Mutually beneficial ties
For India, states Sengupta Sengupta “the Maldives is a crucial ally, important to secure its maritime periphery and to keep an eye on the larger Indian Ocean region where China is making aggressive moves. The archipelago lies barely 70 nautical miles (130 km) from Lakshadweep’s Minicoy Island, and some 300 nautical miles (560 km) from India’s west coast. Several important commercial sea lanes run through the islands.”
Regardless of Muizzu’s pro-China, anti-India posturing, Sengupta believes “the Maldives cannot simply ‘let go’ of India. It is heavily dependent on Indian imports in almost all important sectors, from food to life-saving medicines, and aircraft used in search and rescue missions.” The Indian Army, for example, played a crucial role in thwarting an attempted coup in Malé in 1988.
Groundwork for a reset in relationship
At a time when relations between India and the Maldives are at a low, Sengupta feels “Muizzu’s visit sends an encouraging signal. Some groundwork for a reset in the relationship has been done over the past couple of months.”
In April, India approved the highest-ever export quotas for essential commodities — eggs, potatoes, onions, sugar, rice, wheat flour and pulses, river sand and stone aggregates — to Maldives for 2024-25 under a unique bilateral mechanism that has been in effect since 1981.
On May 9, Maldives Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi — the first high-level visit since Muizzu came to power. The two leaders had ‘extensive discussions’ on 'bilateral relationship’ and ‘regional security issues’.
