Maldives Foreign Minister Moosa visit to India amid Strained Ties
Visits
6 min read
The foreign minister of Maldives Moosa Zameer visited India on 9 May 2024 . It was the first high ranking official visit from Maldives to India after coming into power of Maldives’ pro-China president Mohamed Muizzu six months ago. The Maldivian foreign minister met the Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar during his visit.
The visit comes in the background of strained India-Maldives ties due to President Muizzu's pro-China policies and being associated with the India Out campaign in Maldives.
Purpose of Moosa Zameer’s Visit to India
The main purpose of Moosa Zameer's visit to India was to seek debt relief from India.
India has provided over $ 2 billion in loans to Maldives, which involves loans given for the development of various infrastructure and connectivity projects in the island nation.
Maldives has to repay $ 500 million of the loan amount to India in the near future. Maldives wants the Indian government to convert a part of loans into grants as it is in no position to repay the loans.
President Muizzu has accused the previous Solih government of taking massive loans from India which has pushed Maldives into debt trap.
Anti-India Policies of Muizzu
The present government of Muizzu has openly taken a pro-China and anti-India stance. He was deeply involved in the India Out campaign before becoming the president of Maldives in November 2023.
After becoming the president he broke the tradition and visited China first. Maldivian president always used to visit India on their first official visit.
During his China visit Maldives and China signed a Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership agreement to elevate the ties to strategic level.
He also asked India to withdraw its 88 military personnel deployed in the country to operate two Dornier aircraft gifted by India. The withdrawal was completed on 10 May 2024.
The Indian military personnel have been replaced by 77 Indian civilian workers appointed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has manufactured the Dornier aircraft gifted by India to Maldives.
India Maldives Ties
Despite a strain in ties with the Maldives, the Indian government allowed the export of essential commodities in Maldives, like potatoes, eggs, rice, wheat flour, sugar and dal, despite a ban on the export of such goods from India.
This was done by the Indian government as part of its Neighbourhood First Policy and SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision.
India has been a first responder country whenever a crisis has struck Maldives.
India responded quickly when there was a coup against President Adbul Gayoom in 1988. India launched Operation Cactus to rescue the president and foil the coup.
India was the first country to help the Maldives during the 2004 Tsunami and the drinking water crisis in the capital, Malé, in December 2014.
India sent 30,000 doses of measles vaccine in Jan 2020 to prevent an outbreak of measles in the Maldives.
Maldives was one of the first countries to receive Indian manufactured COVID-19 vaccine.
India has, in the past, extended emergency loans to Maldives to deal with economic problems.
Maldives
Maldives is a group of islands located in the north-central Indian Ocean. It is part of the South Asian region.
Maldives is an archipelago of coral atolls built up from the crowns of a submerged ancient volcanic mountain range.
Eight-degree channels separate Maldives from Minicoy island of Lakshadweep.
Due to rising sea levels, Maldives faces a danger of being submerged in the Indian Ocean.
Capital: Male
Currency: Rufiyaa
President: Mohamed Muizzu
