India 'good friend' of Maldives: Key initiatives that strengthened ties over the years

"India has always been a good friend to Maldives," former Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said after the derogatory remarks against PM Modi came under the light.

He added, "and we must not allow such callous remarks to negatively impact the age-old friendship between our two countries."

The three deputy ministers who criticised the PM following his visit to Lakshadweep have been suspended from their posts, and India's relations with the Maldives, already on choppy waters, nosedived.

Otherwise relations between India and the Maldives have been cordial; the two share ethnic, linguistic, cultural, religious, and commercial links steeped in antiquity and enjoy close and multi-dimensional relations.

India was among the first to recognise Maldives after its independence in 1965 and to establish diplomatic relations with the country. New Delhi established its mission at the level of CDA in 1972 and resident High Commissioner in 1980. Maldives also, opened a Commission in New Delhi in 2004, at that time one of its only four diplomatic missions worldwide.

Maldives had consistently supported India on international issues, in multilateral fora; UN, Commonwealth, NAM and SAARC.

In November 1988, during the Maldives coup attempt, then-President of Maldives Maumoon Abdul Gayoom had requested help from New Delhi when Rajiv Gandhi was PM, and India acquiesced.

India was also the first to assist the country during the 2004 tsunami, and the water crisis in December 2014.

India has also greatly contributed to tourism in the Maldives, which makes up a major part of its economy. In 2023, India topped the chart in terms of the number of tourists visiting the island nation.

Diplomatic tensions spiked after Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu assumed office in November 2023 and requested the Modi government to withdraw Indian military personnel from the island nation.

Here are some key initiatives between India and the Maldives:

* India has assisted Maldives in several of its developmental initiatives - Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), Faculty of Engineering Technology (FET), India-Maldives Friendship Faculty of Hospitality & Tourism Studies, National College for Police and Law Enforcement (NCPLE).

* India provides the largest number of training opportunities for the Maldivian National Defence Force (MNDF), meeting around 70 per cent of their defence training requirements.

* Former EAM the late Smt. Sushma Swaraj visited Maldives in March 2019 for agreements like the LoC Agreement for $800 million & MoU for grant assistance for High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) were also signed during the visit. The EAM granted Rs 50 crore to the Maldives for 18 bilateral projects related to socio-economic development.

* PM Modi, on his first overseas visit after taking oath for the second term, visited Maldives in June 2019, and various MoUs were also signed in the field of hydrography, health, and the establishment of passenger-cum-cargo services by sea, cooperation in customs’ capacity building, civil servants' training and the exchange of White Shipping Information between the Indian Navy and the MNDF.

* EAM S Jaishakar visited the Northern Atolls of Maldives in January 2023, where the exchange of several agreements took place, including an MoU for additional grant assistance of MVR 100 million for the HICDPs scheme, MoU between Maldives National University and Cochin University of Science and Technology on capacity building to facilitate exchanges and co-operative initiatives in the area of education, research, development instruction, community service, staff and student exchanges & MoU for development of a sports complex in Gaafu Dhaal Gadhdhoo.

* Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited the Maldives in May 2023 and attended the ceremony for the commissioning of the replacement ship for Huravee, in the presence of Solih, and also gifted the MNDF an additional Landing Craft. He laid the foundation stone for the MNDF Coast Guard ‘Ekatha Harbour’ as well.

* MoS for External Affairs V Muraleedharan visited Maldives in an official capacity in June 2023 and participated in the inauguration ceremonies of three eco-tourism zones, developed under the HICDPs scheme, in Addu City, participated in the Groundbreaking Ceremony of the Addu Reclamation Project and the Gan International Airport Development Project, both funded under GoI’s concessional LoC, and also witnessed the exchange of 10 MoUs under HICDP Phase-II'. During this visit anti-TB Medicines were also handed over to the Maldives’ Ministry of Health.

(With inputs from the Government of India)