Maldives’ Stability and Indian Support

 

India and Maldives are neighbours sharing a maritime border. Relations have been friendly and close in strategic, economic and military cooperation. India continues to contribute to maintaining security on the island nation. Maldives and India established diplomatic relations after the independence of Maldives from British rule in 1966. India was one of the first nations to recognise Maldives’ independence. Since then, India and Maldives have developed close strategic, military, economic and cultural relations. India has supported Maldives’ policy of keeping regional issues and struggles away from itself. Maldives’ stability and Indian assistance and support are indivisible. The socio-political developments of Maldives in last few decades are described below.

The financial aid provided by India exemplifies the enduring and trustworthy bond between India and Maldives. The aligned principles of India’s “Neighbourhood First” and Maldives’ “India First” policies have synergistically worked to protect security, economic and political stability. Moreover, this assistance serves as a testament that India remains steadfast in supporting the government and people of Maldives in the days to come.

It represents India’s one of the largest ongoing plantation infrastructure endeavour, following the $500 million Greater Male Project. The Greater Male Project aims to link the capital with three adjacent highlands through a 6.74-kilometer-long sea bridge.

In December 1976, India and the Maldives signed a maritime boundary treaty to agree on maritime boundaries. Treaty explicitly places Minicoy on the Indian side of the boundary. India and Maldives officially and amicably decided their maritime boundary in 1976.

In 1981, India and Maldives signed a comprehensive trade agreement. 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. Indian and Maldivian leaders have maintained high-level contacts and consultations on regional issues.

The 1988 Maldives coup d’état attempt was by a group of Maldivians led by businessman Abdullah Luthufi and assisted by armed mercenaries to overthrow the government in the island republic of Maldives. The mercenaries quickly gained control of the capital, including the major government buildings, airport, port, television and radio stations. The intervention by the Indian Armed Forces, codenamed Operation Cactus, defeated the attempted coup. The Indian paratroopers immediately secured the airfield, crossed over to Male using commandeered boats and rescued President Maumoon Gayoom. The paratroopers restored control of the capital to President Gayoom’s government within hours. Nineteen people reportedly died in the fighting, most of them were mercenaries. The dead included two hostages killed by the mercenaries. The swift intervention by the Indian military and accurate intelligence successfully quelled the attempted coup d’état.

In April 2006 Indian Navy gifted a Trinkat Class Fast Attack Craft of 46m length to Maldives National Defence Force’s Coast Guard. India started the process to bring the island country into India’s security grid. The move comes after Maldives approached New Delhi earlier in 2009, over fears that one of its island resorts could be taken over by terrorists given its lack of military assets and surveillance capabilities. India has also signed an agreement which includes following:

*    India will permanently base two helicopters in the country to enhance its surveillance capabilities and ability to respond swiftly to threats.

*    Maldives has coastal radars on only two of its 26 atolls. India will help set up radars on all 26 for seamless coverage of approaching vessels and aircraft.

*    The coastal radar chain in Maldives will be networked with the Indian coastal radar system. India has already undertaken a project to install radars along its entire coastline. The radar chains of the two countries will be interlinked and a central control room in India’s Coastal Command will get a seamless radar picture.

During the COVID-19 crisis of 2020, India extended help to Maldives in the form of financial, material and logistical support. In April 2020, India provided $150 million currency swap support to help Maldives mitigate the financial impact of COVID-19. Also in April, at the request of the Maldivian government, the Indian Air Force airlifted 6.2 tonnes of essential medicines and hospital consumables to Maldives. These supplies had been procured by Maldives’ State Trading Organisation from suppliers in India, but could not be transported due to the COVID-19 lockdown. India had also earlier despatched a medical team with essential medicines to help Maldives fight the COVID outbreak as well as supplied essential food grains and edibles despite logistical challenges in wake of lockdown.

Maldivians generally regard Indians and India as a friend and trusted neighbour in the economic, social and political fields. Both nations share historical and cultural ties. Maldives holds a significant position among India's vital maritime neighbours. India has actively engaged in various efforts aimed at bolstering the defense and security infrastructure in Maldives through capacity development and capability enhancement. Working closely with the Maldivian authorities, the Indian Navy has conducted joint exercises, provided training to personnel, aided in infrastructure development, and facilitated the transfer of equipment. These collaborative initiatives emphasize India's crucial role as a security provider in the region. Furthermore, the Indian government has undertaken a re-evaluation of its diplomatic approaches concerning key Indian Ocean island nations, taking into consideration their strategic access to the region.

In 2008, a new constitution was approved and the first direct presidential elections occurred, which were won by Mohamed Nasheed in the second round. Nasheed controversially resigned from office after large number of police and army mutinied in February 2012. Nasheed’s vice-president, Mohammed Waheed Hassan, was sworn in as president. Nasheed was later arrested, convicted of terrorism, and sentenced to 13 years. The trial was widely seen as flawed and political. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention called for Nasheed’s immediate release.

The elections in late 2013 were highly contested. Former president Nasheed won the most votes in the first round, but the Supreme Court annulled it despite the positive assessment of international election observers. In the re-run vote Abdulla Yameen, step-brother of the former president Maumoon, assumed the presidency. Yameen survived an assassination attempt in late 2015. He curtailed the fundamental and human rights of the people. At this state, UN as well as India, USA and other human right organizations protested it and demanded to establish human rights.

In the 2018 elections, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih won the most votes, and was sworn in as the Maldives’ new president in November 2018. Indian PM Modi visited Maldives and attended the oath taking ceremony of the President. Former president Abdulla Yameen was sentenced to five years in prison in November 2019 for money laundering. The High Court upheld the jail sentence in January 2021. However, Supreme Court overturned Yameen’s conviction in November 2021. It is mentionable that Yameen not only created obstacles to democratic process but also started selling islands to China and created instability in the country as well as in the region.

On 30 September 2023, opposition candidate Mohamed Muizzu won the second-round runoff of the Maldives presidential election, beating incumbent president, Ibrahim Solih. Indian PM Modi had been invited to be present in the oath taking ceremony. Indian Science Minister led the delegation and was present in the ceremony. US and Chinese delegates were also present in the ceremony. Indian minister discussed different aspects of bilateral relation and stability in the region with President Muizzu. It is evident from the discussion that Indian military presence is helping the health and other humanitarian activities and patrolling against drug and other illegal trafficking. Major political parties as well as people in general of Maldives are realizing that India is playing a prominent role for stability, development and democracy of Maldives.


Dr. N. C. Bhowmik is a freedom
fighter, academic scholar and
former ambassador.