{"id":30535,"date":"2024-10-08T17:53:02","date_gmt":"2024-10-08T12:23:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=30535"},"modified":"2024-10-08T17:53:04","modified_gmt":"2024-10-08T12:23:04","slug":"prime-minister-of-india-and-maldives-president-holds-bilateral-talks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/08-10-2024\/prime-minister-of-india-and-maldives-president-holds-bilateral-talks","title":{"rendered":"Prime Minister of India and Maldives President Holds Bilateral Talks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/IR<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the President of Maldives <strong>comprehensively reviewed the bilateral ties.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Prime Minister underscored the importance of Maldives under its <strong>\u2018Neighbourhood First\u2019 Policy and Vision SAGAR,<\/strong> and reaffirmed India\u2019s commitment to assist Maldives on its developmental journey and priorities.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India has extended support of<strong> 400 million dollars <\/strong>and a bilateral currency swap of 3,000 crore rupees to the Maldives.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The support will be instrumental in<strong> tackling the ongoing financial challenges faced by the Maldives.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Evolution of India and Maldives Relations<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Early Diplomatic Ties (1965-1978): <\/strong>The Maldives gained independence from the British<strong> in 1965,<\/strong> and established diplomatic relations with India.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India was one of the first countries to recognize the Maldives as an independent nation.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strategic Partnership (1978-1988):<\/strong> The signing of the <strong>Maritime Boundary Agreement in 1979<\/strong> helped define the maritime boundaries between the two countries.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Political Turbulence (1988-2008):<\/strong> The relationship faced challenges in <strong>1988<\/strong> when a <strong>coup attempt in the Maldives<\/strong> led to the intervention of Indian forces in <strong>Operation Cactus.\u00a0<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India&#8217;s military intervention was aimed at thwarting the coup and preserving the Maldives&#8217; political stability.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This event <strong>temporarily strained diplomatic relations<\/strong> but was later resolved.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Normalization and Economic Cooperation (2008-2013): <\/strong>In 2008, the Maldives experienced a peaceful political transition, and Mohamed Nasheed became the President.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The relationship between India and the Maldives improved, focusing on <strong>economic cooperation, trade, and people-to-people ties.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India provided developmental assistance to the Maldives, particularly in infrastructure projects and capacity building.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Period of Strain (2013-2018):<\/strong> The relationship <strong>faced challenges<\/strong> during the presidency of Abdulla Yameen, with concerns over issues such as democratic backsliding, human rights, and a perceived <strong>tilt towards China.\u00a0<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Maldives&#8217; growing engagement with China, including infrastructure projects under the <strong>Belt and Road Initiative,<\/strong> raised strategic concerns for India.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Renewed Engagement (2018-2023)<\/strong>: The<strong> election of Ibrahim Mohamed Solih <\/strong>as the President of the Maldives in 2018 marked a <strong>shift in bilateral relations. <\/strong>There was a renewed emphasis on strengthening ties with India.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The two countries reaffirmed their commitment to democratic values, and India extended financial assistance for various developmental projects.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Significance of Maldives:\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Strategic Importance:<\/strong> The Maldives is strategically located in the Indian Ocean, and its stability and security are of interest to India.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Trade Route: <\/strong>Situated along <strong>crucial maritime trade routes<\/strong> between the Gulf of Aden and the Strait of Malacca, the <strong>Maldives acts as a &#8220;toll gate&#8221; for nearly half of India&#8217;s external trade and 80% of its energy imports.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"95c5d1\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Significance-of-Maldives-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"Significance of Maldives\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-30537\" style=\"--dominant-color: #95c5d1; width:372px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Significance-of-Maldives-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Significance-of-Maldives-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Significance-of-Maldives-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Significance-of-Maldives-jpg.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Counterbalancing China: <\/strong>Maldives presents an opportunity for India to counterbalance China&#8217;s growing influence in the Indian Ocean, fostering regional balance of power.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Brief on India &#8211; Maldives<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Participation in Multiple Forums:<\/strong> Both nations are founding members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the South Asian Economic Union and signatories to the South Asia Free Trade Agreement.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Economic partnership:<\/strong> India emerged as Maldives\u2019 2nd largest trade partner in 2022 &amp; the largest in 2023.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India is one of the biggest investors and tourism markets for the Maldives, with significant trade and infrastructure projects underway.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Defense and Security Cooperation: Since 1988,<\/strong> defence and security has been a major area of cooperation between India and Maldives.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A <strong>comprehensive Action Plan for Defence<\/strong> was also signed in <strong>2016<\/strong> to consolidate defence partnership.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Estimates suggest that almost <strong>70 per cent of Maldives\u2019 defence training is done by India <\/strong>\u2014 either on the islands or in India\u2019s elite military academies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tourism:<\/strong> In 2023, India is the leading source market for Maldives with a <strong>11.8% market share.\u00a0<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In March 2022, India &amp; Maldives agreed for an open skies arrangement which will further improve connectivity between two countries.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Connectivity: <\/strong>The Male to Thilafushi Link project, popularly known as the <strong>Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP)<\/strong>, is a USD 530 million infrastructure project aimed at establishing a direct link between the capital city of the Maldives and Thilafushi, an island located in the South Indian Ocean.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Domestic turmoil in the Maldives:<\/strong> Recent political upheavals and changes in government create uncertainty and complicate long-term cooperation projects.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Chinese Influence: <\/strong>China&#8217;s growing economic presence in the Maldives, evidenced by investments in infrastructure projects and debt-trap diplomacy, is perceived as a challenge to India&#8217;s strategic interests in the region.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Chinese naval expansion and potential military ambitions in the Indian Ocean with the active support from Maldives can\u00a0 raise concerns for India.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Non-traditional threats:<\/strong> Piracy, terrorism, and drug trafficking remain concerns in the region, requiring continuous collaboration and intelligence sharing between India and the Maldives.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Extremism and radicalization: <\/strong>The Maldives&#8217; vulnerability to religious extremism and radicalization poses a security threat that necessitates joint efforts in countering such ideologies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Trade imbalance:<\/strong> The significant trade imbalance between India and the Maldives leads to resentment and calls for diversifying trade partnerships.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Way Ahead<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The evolution of India-Maldives relations reflects a combination of geopolitical dynamics, changes in leadership, and shared regional interests.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India is steadfast in its commitments towards Maldives and <strong>has always walked the extra mile<\/strong> towards building relations.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Any impulsive steps to undo the carefully nurtured all encompassing partnership is <strong>likely to harm Maldives more than it would India.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>By acknowledging and addressing the challenges, India and the Maldives can <strong>navigate the complexities of their relationship and build a stronger, more resilient, and mutually beneficial partnership<\/strong> for the future.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsonair.gov.in\/rupay-card-payments-introduced-in-maldives\/#:~:text=India%20has%20extended%20support%20of,challenges%20faced%20by%20the%20Maldives\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>AIR<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the President of Maldives comprehensively reviewed the bilateral ties.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30535","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30535","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30535"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30535\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30538,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30535\/revisions\/30538"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30535"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30535"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30535"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}