Hyderabad: Maldives is a tiny country, an archipelago comprising 1,200 islands and with a population of a little over 4,00,000. Yet the country is important to India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose Maldives as his first destination abroad in his second term. Why ?
Well, Maldives is a SAARC country, the relation with India's long-time friend soured during the rein of the past President and Maldives is a strategically important country. But even more importantly, China is very much interested in Maldives and has been there in a big way thanks to the former President Abdullah Yameen.
Maldives lies close to very important shipping lanes which make sure that energy supplies flow smoothly to countries like China, India and Japan. For many years Maldives was very close to India. China became interested recently, primarily because of the country's strategic importance and secondly for its Belt and Road Initiative.
Former President Yameen favoured China over India, and China took full advantage of that investing heavily in the country, mostly in infrastructural projects. Relationship with India hit an all time low.
India got worried. It suspected that China, by increasing its influence in the Maldives, wanted to contain India through its 'string of pearls' strategy. But India could do precious little to reverse the situation in its favour so long as Yameen remained the President. Things, however, took a positive turn after Yameen was defeated in last year's election and Ibrahim Mohamed Solih became the President. Modi attended Solih's swearing-in ceremony in November 2018, but that was not a full-fledged visit.
In his second term, Modi wants to strengthen India's old good ties with the country and counter Chinese influence in the region. Modi also wants to ensure Maldives' co-operation, as a SAARC nation, in its diplomatic policies.
The visit is also likely to improve the condition where more people from the Maldives can travel to India and vice versa. India was the favourite destination for the people of the Maldives for education, medical treatments, business. Indian businessmen also did business there. But all took a hit during the Yameen's regime.
India hopes that Modi's visit will bring Maldives much closer, at least to the pre-Yameen days.
