Africa

Maldives leader Muizzu to seek India bailout despite strained ties

Muizzu also gave an ultimatum to India to withdraw about 80 troops based in the country. Delhi said they were stationed there to maintain and operate two rescue and reconnaissance helicopters and a Dornier aircraft it had donated years ago.

In the end, both countries reached a compromise by agreeing to replace soldiers with Indian civilian technical staff to operate the aircraft.

Muizzu’s administration also announced that it would not renew a hydrographic survey agreement with India that was signed by the previous government to map the seabed in Maldivian territorial waters.

But the Maldivian president defended his decision.

“The decisions taken are based on our evolving domestic interests and strategic priorities. The will of the people, that elected me 10 months ago,” Muizzu said.

“I believe both the Maldives and India have a better understanding of each others’ priorities and concerns,” he added.

Some of Muizzu’s decisions were seen as a way to reduce Delhi’s influence and forge closer ties with India’s rival China.

In February, Muizzu’s administration allowed the port call of a Chinese research ship, Xiang Yang Hong 3, in the Maldives, much to Delhi’s displeasure. Some saw it as a mission to collect data which could – at a later date – be used by the Chinese military for submarine operations.

But Muizzu rejects the pro-China tag.

“I have made clear our foreign policy the day I took office – that it is a ‘Maldives First’ policy. Our relationships with other nations are guided by the principles of mutual respect and trust, non-interference and the pursuit of peace and prosperity,” he insists.

“We believe that through open communication and collaboration, we can address any concerns, contributing to a peaceful and prosperous Indian Ocean region,” he says.

Despite Muizzu’s attempts to move Male closer to Beijing, analysts say financial assistance from China hasn’t been forthcoming,

As a result, the president’s extraordinary turnaround towards India now is based on harsh realities.

Muizzu’s Delhi visit “is a realisation of how dependent the Maldives is on India, a dependency that no other country will find easy to fill”, says Azim Zahir, a Maldivian analyst.


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