Himalaya Harbinger, Rudrapur Bureau.
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu is in India for a state visit, a significant moment in bilateral relations after the diplomatic relations between the states were severely affected when three Maldivian ministers made derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Modi. Mr Muizzu has sought a Rs 3,000 crore currency swap deal with India to boost Maldivian foreign exchange reserves amid an economic crisis.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, briefed the media on the bilateral talks held between the leaders of the countries.
A journalist asked Mr Misri in Hindi about the turnaround in the India-Maldives relationship and said, “Sir, yeh Maldives ke saath dooriyan nazdeekiyan mein badal gayi, yeh kya ittefaq hai? (The differences with Maldives have been turned to closeness. Do you think this is a coincidence?) To which Misri replied in Hindi, “Dooriyan, nazdeekiyan, ittefaq…I don’t think you could add more names of Hindi films in one question but I would say, “Yaarana chalta rahega” (Friendship will continue).
Mr Misri further explained the relationship between India and Maldives, “This is a very age-old relationship. It has several very substantive pillars, trade, economic, developmental, people-to-people linkages, defence and security also being a part of. Our attempt with this visit is to try and reinforce this already strong relationship which is there and built on the numerous shared concerns and interests that are there. India is one of the largest trade and development partners of the Maldives.”
We are making progress on several development projects in the Maldives, today there was recognition by both leaders of the importance of this relationship, especially given the geographical proximity that exists between the two countries and the many ways in which the relationship is mutually beneficial,” he added.
Mr Muizzu arrived in Delhi Sunday evening and, after a day’s rest, was accorded a ceremonial welcome by President Droupadi Murmu and the Prime Minister at Raj Bhavan, after which he paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat and then went into a huddle with Prime Minister Modi.
At a joint statement after the two leaders met, Prime Minister Modi underlined New Delhi’s position as a “close friend” of the island nation, emphasising his ‘neighbourhood first’ foreign policy that has seen India act as a ‘first responder’ to emergencies affecting Male, including supplying Covid vaccines.
“Be it essential commodities, vaccines during Covid, or drinking water… we have played a good neighbour,” he said, adding India had today also virtually inaugurated the Hanimaadhoo International Airport on the Haa Dhaalu Atoll and, earlier, handed over 700 social housing units, as well as set up a drinking water and sewerage project to serve nearly 30,000 people across 28 Maldivian islands.
The Maldives, the PM then said, also has an important role – to help ensure the security of the Indian Ocean Region. This is an issue that was red-flagged by many within the government after Mr Muizzu – seen as a ‘pro-China’ leader – won last year’s election on what was called an ‘India out’ platform.
That platform included requesting Delhi to withdraw 90 military personnel in the Maldives to maintain and operate three aviation platforms for humanitarian and medical aid.
These three – two helicopters and a Dornier aircraft – were a gift from India.
After talks, Delhi replaced military personnel with “competent technical” staff.
Apart from the ejection of the military staff – of which Mr Muizzu has said he simply “did what the people of Maldives asked of me” – February’s docking of a Chinese spy ship masquerading as a research vessel also raised eyebrows after similar vessels docked at Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port.
