New Delhi:In what can be seen as a shift in policy towards India, the newly elected Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu is all set to visit China on January 8 marking his second foreign visit after Turkiye and UAE. His visit to China is also seen as a breaking away from the tradition of visiting India as his last predecessors used to follow for India being one of the closest neighbours in the region and also the fact that over the years, the ties between Male and India have seen tremendous growth.
But now, as the Maldivian President has been very much upfront about his Pro-China stance since the time, he assumed power, the question is will the relationship between India and Maldives continue further with the same impetus and whether is Maldives going to completely turn to China or rely on India? Experts are of the view that there will be a shift in the wind when it comes to India and Maldives ties. India’s continuous aid and support for the Maldives has marked the closeness in ties between the two nations, but Muizzu’s strong call for India out campaign and the decision to not renew the Hydropower pact with India does not go down well for New Delhi.
In a conversation with ETV Bharat, India’s former ambassador, Ashok Sajjanhar said, “The geopolitical reality that India is a big country and it is a big neighbour and PM Modi’s recent visit to Lakshadweep, sent out a strong message to the Maldives that they can engage in whatever way they want as far as China is concerned, but the significance and importance of India cannot be brought down beyond a point”.
Lakshadweep, an archipelago of 36 islands, having an area of 32 sq km, is strategically importance given its location and threat from China. Given China's increasing engagement with Sri Lanka and Maldives, Lakshadweep could be vital for forces in case of any conflict. During his visit, PM Modi talked about development projects and initiatives of his government, which indicates New Delhi has its eyes on the islands.
PM Modi’s visit also had a narrative that India was trying to boost tourism in the archipelago at the cost of Maldives. It is pertinent to note that at a time when there has been a humanitarian disaster be it Tsunami in 2004 or even during COVID, India has been the first responder to Maldives. "Given, India being so close and the capacity and capability of the country, Maldives cannot do without a positive and good relationship with India, the former diplomat told ETV Bharat.
“Going forward, we will have to see how the domestic political equation develops," added Sajjanhar. “As far as China is concerned, it will try to enhance influence in India’s neighbourhood and will make every possible efforts to cordon off India so that it cannot play its role and the strength of relations between India and Male come down and Beijing has ‘deep pockets’. In that case, India should continue to enhance partnerships with all neighbouring countries. As far as Sri Lanka is concerned, we provided four billion in support and assistance, and I don't think, just a few years ago anyone could have imagined that India would come forward so very spontaneously and naturally with that sort of money. Bangladesh has more than an eight-billion-dollar line of Credit from India. India is trying to do its very best as far as reaching out to the smaller neighbouring countries is concerned. Similarly, India has been steadfast in providing financial assistance to Maldives."
He opined that India would continue a pro-active approach towards Maldives and will continue to engage at every possible opportunity because Maldives is a newly democratic country and India for that matter has to engage with the whole political spectrum as far as Maldives is concerned. “Maldives is an important country for India, but at the same time, New Delhi will continue to keep a close watch on the Archipelago”, added the former envoy.
Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu will pay a state visit to China from January 8 to 12 becoming the first foreign head of state to visit China in the new year. This is also President Muizzu's first state visit to a foreign country this year. Many view Maldives through the lens of the competition between China and India. For them, the Maldives, due to its strategic importance, has become a piece of meat in the struggle between China and India
China's scientific research vessel is preparing to dock for supplies in a Sri Lankan port, prompting an immediate protest from the Indian government. With Bangladesh set to hold elections soon, India is once again concerned about the possibility of a repeat of the Maldives' "anti-Indian" stance. Moreover, former Maldivian President Ibrahim Solih earlier had said that a country can be deemed as ‘Pro-China’, but that does not mean it is anti-China. India will be closely watching Muizzu’s visit to China as the two countries are expected to reach a series of cooperative agreements in the fields of politics, economy, culture, and green development, as well as to promote the bilateral relationship to a new level. Last week, reacting to the Maldivian President's visit to China, MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “This is a decision, which Maldives has to take and we don’t have a comment on that. It is for them to decide where to go and how they go about their ‘international relations’.
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