Abstract: The recent engagement between India and Maldives and its significance lies in prioritising regional security along with national priorities of respective countries and in finding a convergence to work towards enhancing cooperation in various areas at the bilateral and regional level.
The neighbourhood figures prominently in India’s foreign policy outreach, based on the principle of respecting ‘mutual interest and reciprocal sensitivity’.[i] In this context, the recent engagement between India and Maldives after few impediments, which started after the Presidential elections in Maldives in September 2023, assumes significance as it once again reiterated India’s commitment to the Neighbourhood First Policy and Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) vision. What has helped in resetting India-Maldives relations is India’s consistent support extended to various development initiatives within Maldives as part of development assistance and continuous dialogue at the highest level to address defence and maritime security related issues.
Consistent Support Generated Positive Momentum
Some of the crucial developments and bilateral exchanges since the beginning of this year that generated a positive momentum and helped in overcoming the differences in perspectives related to cooperation in various sectors are as follows: in April 2024, India approved the highest ever quotas for essential commodities for Maldives for the years 2024-25, upon the request of Maldives.[ii] On 9 May 2024, the Foreign Minister of Maldives Moosa Zameer was in India, a first high-level Ministerial visit from Maldives after the formation of the Progressive National Congress (PNC) Government in Male. The visit took place amidst the withdrawal of Indian military personnel stationed in Maldives. Nonetheless, the visit provided an opportunity to discuss bilateral relations and chart out a ‘future direction and convergence of perspectives in various domains’.[iii] During the visit, the Foreign Minister of Maldives emphasized that “economic cooperation with India has been an integral part of Maldives economy”.[iv] The visit of the President of Maldives to Delhi to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Prime Minister of India in June 2024 signalled a positive shift in Maldives engagement with India. The visit of External Affairs Minister of India to Maldives on August 9-11, 2024 on a three-day visit further reaffirmed India’s commitment to deepen its bilateral relations, including security and defence cooperation.[v] The official visits also drove home a point that India-Maldives relations can go beyond the election issue of the withdrawal of Indian military personnel in the island nation and the countries are willing to work together to enhance peace and security in the Indian Ocean Region[vi].
India’s overall development cooperation in the last year has also resonated with various aspects of governance highlighted by the PNC government in Male. For example, the President of Maldives has emphasised economic sovereignty, self-determination, and defence security as three important aspects of his governance.[vii] To realise these objectives, a very conscious effort has been made by the government of Maldives to address the economic slowdown with the help of bilateral partners including India. Since the beginning of 2024, the economy has shown signs of slowing down and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in February called for urgent policy adjustments to tackle the high risk associated with external and overall debt distress.[viii] It also warned the Maldives of potentially severe economic costs due to climate change and natural disaster risks.[ix] In May and September, India extended budgetary support to Maldives by rolling over to the tune of $ 100 million upon the request of the Government of Maldives.[x] To boost the economy, the government in Male also identified a few measures, such as minimising the economy’s dependence on tourism sector, strengthening agriculture, and the creation of a solar city to take care of the energy needs of the Greater Male’ region, etc. Implementation of the FTA with China and possible FTA with Turkey, the UK and India are other possibilities the government is exploring to diversify its trade relations.[xi]
Therefore, the timely help extended by India has been much appreciated by the Government of Maldives. In July, the President sincerely thanked India, during the Maldives Independence Day ceremony, for the support in easing the country’s ‘debt repayment, thereby enabling the country to ensure economic sovereignty’.[xii] Other than the economic cooperation, peace and security in the Indian Ocean and the need to arrive at a common understanding in solving emerging threats and challenges in the region have also acted as a pull factor in normalising the bilateral relations. For example, to address common security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region, in August 2024, India, Maldives, Mauritius and Sri Lanka signed the Charter and a MoU for the establishment of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) Secretariat in Colombo. India and the Maldives along with other members of CSC seem determined in realising five pillars of cooperation under the CSC framework, which include “the maritime safety and security, countering terrorism and radicalisation, combating trafficking and transnational organised crime, cyber security and protection of critical infrastructure and technology and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief”.[xiii]
Steps towards Comprehensive Partnership
The above mentioned crucial developments at the bilateral level culminated in signing of a “Vision Document for Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership”. The document signed during the State visit of President of Maldives to India in October 6-10, 2024, can be seen as an important chapter in relations that is going to bring India and Maldives much closer in the future. The vision document, which will act as a roadmap for the future, in detail provides information about collaboration in ten areas of mutual interest which include political exchanges, development, trade and economic cooperation, digital and financial cooperation. The document further mentions the ongoing projects and possibilities for energy, health, defence and security cooperation, capacity building and training, people to people exchanges and avenues for cooperation at regional and multilateral fora. The partnership agreement has been described as ‘people-centric, future oriented and as an anchor of stability in the Indian Ocean region’.[xiv] India also extended support of $400 million and INR 30 billion bilateral currency swap agreement to tackle the financial challenges faced by Maldives.[xv] Rupay card was also launched on the occasion of the visit. At the bilateral level, defence and maritime security cooperation has acquired renewed dimension in the vision document. Therefore, India as a trusted partner of the island nation, will extend support to Maldives with provisioning of defence platforms, in enhancing surveillance and monitoring capacity of Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), on Hydrographic matters, in the areas of disaster response and risk mitigation and in increased capacity building of the MNDF.[xvi]
Both countries have agreed to set up a High-Level Core Group to implement the vision document, and the future implementation will only reinforce the strong bond both the countries historically share. The document touched upon important projects such as housing development, completion of the Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP), development of airports such as Hanimaadhoo and Gan, expansion of High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDP), sharing of expertise in digital and financial services and the implementation of renewable energy projects including solar power. By agreeing to establish a Maldives consulate in Bangalore and a consulate of India in Addu City in Maldives, a push has been given for people to people exchanges, which were affected after the formation of new government in Male at the end of 2023. Maldives tourism sector has been particularly hit due to decline of Indian tourists visiting Maldives. India ranks 6th in tourist arrivals position, in contrast to the rank in 2023, where it stood as a top tourist arrival market for Maldives.[xvii]
Conclusion
In this context, the recent engagement between India and Maldives and its significance lies in prioritising regional security along with national priorities of respective countries and in finding a convergence to work towards enhancing cooperation in various areas at the bilateral and regional level. As the developments show, India’s consistent support to the island nation in terms of development cooperation, investments and capacity building that took care of the needs of island nation has acted as a positive force in rebuilding the much needed trust and mutual respect. It also showed India’s resolve to work towards normalisation of relations through various bilateral mechanisms in place.
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*Dr. Samatha Mallempati, Research Fellow, Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA)
Disclaimer: The views expressed are personal.
Endnotes
[i] Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, “Remarks by EAM, Dr. S. Jaishankar during meeting with Foreign Minister of Maldives”, 9 May 2024, https://www.mea.gov.in/incoming-visit-detail.htm?37802/Remarks+by+EAM+Dr+S+Jaishankar+during+meeting+with+Foreign+Minister+of+Maldives. Accessed October 1, 2024.
[ii] “India approves highest-ever export quotas for essential commodities to Maldives for 2024-25”, AIR, 5 April, 2024, https://www.newsonair.gov.in/india-approves-highest-ever-export-quotas-for-essential-commodities-to-maldives-for-2024-25/. Accessed October 10, 2024.
[iii] Op.Cit., no.1
[iv] ANI, “"We are discussing President Muizzu's visit to Delhi very soon": Maldives Foreign Minister”, 9 May 2024, https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/we-are-discussing-president-muizzus-visit-to-delhi-very-soon-maldives-foreign-minister20240509211749/ Accessed October 13, 2024.
[v] Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India , “Visit of External Affairs Minister to Maldives (August 09-11, 2024)”, 11 August 2024, https://www.mea.gov.in/press-releases.htm?dtl/38123/Visit_of_External_Affairs_Minister_to_Maldives_August_0911_2024#:~:text=S%20Jaishankar%20will%20pay%20an,Cabinet%20and%20Council%20of%20Ministers.
[vi] ANI, “"We are discussing President Muizzu's visit to Delhi very soon": Maldives Foreign Minister”, 9 May 2024, https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/we-are-discussing-president-muizzus-visit-to-delhi-very-soon-maldives-foreign-minister20240509211749/. Accessed October 14, 2024.
[vii] The President’s Office, “President confirms budgetary expenses were made from earnings”, 27 July 2024, https://presidency.gov.mv/Press/Article/31248. Accessed October 15, 2024.
[viii] International Monitory Fund, “IMF Staff Completes 2024 Article IV Mission to the Maldives”, 6th February 2024, https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2024/02/06/pr2440-maldives-imf-staff-completes-2024-article-iv-mission. Accessed October 11, 2024.
[ix] Ibid
[x] Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Maldives, “Government of India extends budgetary support to the Government of Maldives”, 19 September 2024, https://foreign.gov.mv/index.php/en/media-center/news/government-of-india-extends-budgetary-support-to-the-government-of-maldives-303. Accessed September 28, 2024.
[xi] The President’s Office, Republic of Maldives, “President calls for long-term vision to secure economic independence, self-determination”, 27 July 2024, https://presidency.gov.mv/Press/Article/31273. Accessed October 16, 2024.
[xii] Ibid
[xiii] Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, “Joint Press Statement on Colombo Security Conclave”, 30 August 2024, https://www.mea.gov.in/press-releases.htm?dtl/38242/Joint+Press+Statement+on+Colombo+Security+Conclave#:~:text=The%20Member%20States%20of%20the,Prime%20Minister%20of%20India%3B%20Mr. Accessed October 19, 2024.
[xiv] Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, “India and Maldives: A Vision for Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership”, 7 October 2024, https://www.mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl/38384/India_and_Maldives_A_Vision_for_Comprehensive_Economic_and_Maritime_Security_Partnership. Accessed, October 19, 2024.
[xv] Ibid
[xvi] Op.Cit., no.14
[xvii] Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Maldives, Daily Updates, 23 October 2024. https://www.tourism.gov.mv/en/downloads/reports.