INDIA-MALDIVES RELATIONS

INDIA-MALDIVES RELATIONS

Recently India’s External Affairs Minister S JAISHANKAR visited Maldives, during the crucial Presidential elections in Maldives.

BACKGROUND

• India and the Maldives share ethnic, linguistic, cultural, religious and commercial links steeped in antiquity and enjoy close, cordial and multi-dimensional relations.
• On international issues, Maldives had consistently supported India in multilateral fora, such as the UN, the COMMONWWEALTH, NAM and SAARC.
• Maldives also co-sponsored the G-4 draft resolutions on UN reforms.
• India extended support to Maldive’s candidature for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council for the term 2019-20.

RECENTLY SIGNED MOUs BETWEEN INDIA- MALDIVES

• India has extended a concessional $40 million Line of Credit for developing sporting infrastructure in the Maldives.
• Both sides signed three MOUs , including a proposed collaboration between Cochin University and the Maldives University.
• Another $100million for “high impact community development” projects.
• HANIMADHOO Island on HaaDahaalu Atoll being developed by India’s assistance.
• The $ 136.6-million development of the airport at Hanimadhoo will be executed by the Indian company JMC Projects Ltd. It has been financed by a line of credit to the Maldives from India’s Exim Bank.

EARLIER BILATERAL ASSISTANCES

Since the success of OPERATION CACTUS the relations between India and Maldives have expanded significantly. India has provided extensive economic aid and has participated in bilateral programmes for the development of infrastructure, health, telecommunications and labour resources.

The major projects executed by India are:

• Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital: (IGMH) During former Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi’s visit to Male’ in 1986, it was agreed to establish a medical complex in Male’ with Indian assistance. Accordingly, the 200-bed hospital was established at an estimated cost of Rs.42.5 crores and inaugurated in April 1995.
• Faculty of Engineering Technology (FET): Maldives Institute of Technical Education (MITE) was set up as a grant-in-aid project of Government of India in 1996.
• Tsunami Related Assistance Following the tsunami waves that hit Maldives on the morning of 26 December 2004, India was the first country to rush relief and aid to the Maldives.
• Credit Facility : During the visit of President Nasheed to India in December 2008, Government of India extended a Standby Credit Facility of US$100 million to Maldives.
• Subscription to the Dollar denominated Treasury bills Due to the severe foreign exchange crisis in Maldives last year, the Maldivian Monetary Authority (MMA) issued treasury bonds denominated in US dollars for the first time in December 2009.

CULTURAL RELATIONS

• Both the countries share long cultural links and continuous efforts are underway to further strengthen these links.
• Recently three historical mosques in Maldives were successfully restored by Indian experts from NRLCCP, Lucknow (Friday Mosque, Male’, Fenfushi Mosque in South Ari Atoll and the Dharumavantha Rasgefaanu Mosque in Male’).
• Exchange of cultural troupes takes place regularly between the two counties. In December 2009, a Maldivian Rock Band participated in the South Asian Bands Festival in New Delhi in March 2010.

IMPORTANT MOUs BETWEEN INDIA AND MALDIVES

• In July 2022 the cabinet approved the signing of an MoU for Judicial Cooperation between India and Maldives which will accelerate court digitisation and boost prospects for IT companies and start-ups in both countries.
• India-Maldives have signed four Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) in November 2020. The four MoUs signed between the two countries are:

1. Two MoUs are signed for high-impact community development projects.
2. One MoU is signed between Maldives-India on sports and youth affairs’ cooperation.
3. One MoU is signed for the grant of 100 million USD grant, as a part of India’s 500 million USD package for GMCP.
4. MoU on cooperation in the field of Hydrography

TRADE AND ECONOMIC RELATIONS

• India emerged as Maldives’ 3rd largest trade partner in 2021.
• Indian imports from the Maldives primarily comprise scrap metals.
• Indian exports to the Maldives include a variety of engineering and industrial products like drugs and pharmaceuticals, radar apparatus, rock boulders, aggregates, cement, and agricultural produce like rice, spices, fruits, vegetables, poultry products, etc.
• Tourism is the mainstay of the Maldivian economy. The country is now a major tourist destination for Indians.
• Given the geographical limitations imposed on the Maldives, India has exempted the nation from export curbs on essential commodities.

STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF MALDIVES FOR INDIA

• Maldives is a part of India-driven Colombo Security Conclave.
• India and Maldives clearly have a responsibility to ensure stability and security in the Indian Ocean. India wants to see the Maldives embrace Quad’s Pacific strategy, which brings together India, the US, Japan, and Australia.
• The Indian Ocean is a major route for the transfer of energy and trade around the world. The Strait of Malacca and the Gulf of Aden, two chokepoints in the western Indian Ocean, are located on either side of the Maldives, which is situated physically like a “toll gate” between them.
• In-depth defence cooperation, as well as antiterrorism efforts, are also being conducted by India and the Maldives. The Joint Working Group on Counterterrorism, Countering Violent Extremism, and Deradicalization was convened with participation from both sides.
• Ekuverin, an annual joint military exercise is held every year since 2009 between India and Maldives. The exercise aims to enhance the interoperability between the Indian Army and Maldives National Defence Force in order to effectively undertake counter-terrorism operations in urban or semi-urban environment.

JOINTS PROJECTS IN MALDIVES

Uthuru Thila Falhu Naval Base Harbour : India extended a $50 million Line of Credit to Maldives for defense projects, mainly for the development, support and maintenance of the harbour of the Uthuru Thila Falhu Naval Base.

Greater Male Connectivity Project: In 2021, the Maldivian Ministry of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure signed a $500 million infrastructure project for a 6.7 km bridge & causeway link with the Indian engineering company AFCONS. The 6.74-km bridge and causeway link will connect the capital of Male with the islands of Vilingili, Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi.

ISSUES IN INDIA- MALDIVES RELATIONS

• Anti-India sentiments -‘India Out’ campaign

Long-standing controversy over the two Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters (ALF) that were given by India to the Maldives in 2010 and in 2015, as some in the anti-India constituency, were trying to portray that by gifting these helicopters, India was creating military presence in the country because they were military choppers.

• CHINA ANGLE

China’s strategic presence has grown in the area surrounding India. A significant “pearl” in China’s “String of Pearls” strategy in South Asia has emerged as the Maldives.

There are speculations that China may be attempting to establish strategic outposts in the archipelago due to its strategic location in the Indian Ocean.

Chinese built Male-Hulumale-Hulhule bridge and the Hulumale airport, awarded to the Chinese after the Indian group GMR’s contract was cancelled.

• Radicalisation

Over the past ten years or more, more Maldivians have become attracted to terrorist organisations like the Islamic State (IS), Pakistan-based madrassas, and jihadist groups.

Islamist radicalism is on the rise in the island nation for a number of reasons, chief among them being political instability and socioeconomic uncertainty.

Syllabus: MAINS- International Relations