New Delhi: Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid on Tuesday said that Maldives was taking all the steps to maintain peace and stability as well as prosperity in the Indian Ocean. "We do not want any conflict in the Indian Ocean and it is not about countering anyone. But it is about consulting".
His remark came in response to a question on countering China's expansion in the Indian Ocean region which has become a major concern for India. Shahid is in India on an official visit from 11-12 July. Furthermore, the visiting Maldivian Foreign Minister during his address at the 43rd Sapru House lecture on "The power of small- The Maldive story", said, "The present Maldivian government does not give room for India-China tussles in the Maldives. We are not in the business of playing one against the other. We are friends to all and enemies to none. Our partnership is with everyone". "We have a special relationship with India. India is our immediate next-door neighbour," added Abdullah Shahid.
Taking a dig at China, the Maldivian Foreign minister urged foreign powers not to bring conflict in the Indian Ocean region. "Peace, prosperity, and stability in the Indian Ocean are essential for the peace and prosperity of Maldives. We have a good partnership with everyone. Maldives is the heart of the Indian Ocean," said Shahid.
The Maldives, a small, strategically located archipelagic nation in the Indian Ocean, has emerged as a key battleground for India-China competition in South Asia. The Maldivian Foreign minister further called for immediate reform in the Security Council, while adding that the Security Council was outdated and it came to a deadlock, especially during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Earlier today, the Maldivian Foreign Minister called on the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during which they shared perspectives on the stability and prosperity in the Indian Ocean region. "A warm and productive meeting today with FM abdulla shahid of Maldives. Encouraged to learn of the steady progress in our development partnership. It is directly contributing to the economic growth and social welfare of our neighbour," Jaishankar tweeted.
Both Ministers also witnessed the exchange of project development agreements under Indian grant assistance. Maldives is India’s key maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and occupies a special place in the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and the ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’.
Foreign Minister Shahid’s visit is in continuation of the series of high-level visits from both sides and is expected to lend further momentum to the substantive bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
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