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By P.K.Balachandran
Colombo, January 14: India on Sunday agreed to “fast track” the withdrawal of the 88 Indian Air Force personnel who were deployed to man the military helicopters stationed in the island.
Earlier, the Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu had asked India to withdraw the military personnel by March 15.
The decision to give in to the Maldivians’ demand stems from India’s policy of engaging with its neighbours as part of its Neighbourhood First policy irrespective of a changes in regimes.
The concession to the Maldives is meant to mend fences with a key Indian Ocean State. It is a tactful move to blunt Maldivian belligerence egged on by its new ally, China.
In fact, according to a report in The Hindu in 2018, India had decided to take back the helicopters following the “India Out” movement encouraged by the then Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen. But the pro-India government of Ibrahim Solih wanted the chopper to remain and they remained.
Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar had said in a speech on Saturday in Nagpur, that a cornerstone of India’s diplomatic efforts over the past decade, had been building a strong connection with neighbouring countries, “regardless of political fluctuations.”
Though Jaishankar did not name the Maldives, he acknowledged the recent rift, attributing it to the inherent unpredictability of politics.
“Politics is politics. I cannot guarantee that in every country, every day, everybody will support us or agree with us,” he said.
Despite these challenges, Jaishankar emphasised the success of the ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy over the past decade.
While acknowledging that sometimes things do not go as planned, Jaishankar stressed the importance of reasoning with people and bringing things back where they should be.
This approach, he suggested, is a crucial aspect of his role in managing India’s foreign relations.
Jaishankar’s statement underscores India’s diplomatic strategy of fostering solid ties with its neighbours, even in the face of political disagreements.
High Level Meeting in Male
The Maldivian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that the assurance on the withdrawal of the Indian troops was given at a meeting of the High Level Committee, a group established through discussions between President Muizzu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their meeting in Dubai on the side lines of COP summit.
The Maldivian Foreign Ministry’s statement said that discussions were held regarding matters of concern to both countries, and prospective steps needed to be taken in order to further strengthen ties between Maldives and India.
The Indian delegation was led by Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra and included the Indian High Commissioner Munu Mahawar.
The next meeting of the High Level Committee is to be scheduled at a later date at the convenience of both countries.
The agreement to withdraw is a major concession by India to the Maldives and is apparently meant to mend fences with a key Indian Ocean State in the face Maldivian belligerence egged on by its new ally China
Won’t put up bullying: Muizzu
Meawhile as a follow up of the pro-China tilt, President Muizzu issued a firm rebuke to India amid growing diplomatic tensions, asserting that Maldives’s small size did not give any nation the right to bully it.
This statement was made at a press briefing at the Velana International Airport following his return from a state visit to China, where he sought alternatives to the Maldives’ longstanding reliance on India.
Notably, from March 1, the national carrier’s air ambulance will replace Indian aircraft in emergency operations. The President also announced agreements with China for sustainable food security and with Turkiye for food staples importation.
Additionally, the government plans to commence importing pharmaceuticals directly from Europe and the United States, aiming to reduce dependence on Indian imports.
During President Muizzu’s visit to China, President Xi Jinping reaffirmed China’s support for the Maldives in safeguarding national sovereignty and dignity. A joint communique highlighted mutual support in upholding core interests, with China opposing external interference in the Maldives’ internal affairs.
The bilateral discussions between Maldives and China centred on four principles: mutual respect, sovereign equality, territorial integrity, and non-interference in internal matters.
President Muizzu stressed the importance of these principles in the context of the Maldives-China relations and indirectly critiqued India for its alleged interference in the Maldives’ domestic politics during previous administrations.
Row Over Lakshadweep
The diplomatic row with India escalated recently, particularly after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s video promoting tourism in Lakshadweep, mistakenly seen in the Maldives as a direct Indian challenge to the Maldives’ tourism industry.
This was followed by social media posts from Maldivian Ministers insulting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Subsequently the three erring Junior Minsters were suspended. India summoned the Maldivian envoy.
Tensions further escalated on social media in India, sparking a boycott of the Maldives as a tourist destination.
President Muizzu’s administration, which came to power in November after a victory over Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, has taken notable steps in redefining its foreign policy from his predecessor’s “India-first” to a “Pro-Maldives” policy.
Muizzu is in the process of reviewing about a hundred bilateral agreements with India entered into by the previous pro-Indian government.
China to Provide US$130 Million Grant to Maldives
China will provide nearly US$130 million in grant aid to the Maldives, President Muizzu confirmed on Saturday.
Speaking to the media at Velana International Airport the grant will be several projects identified by the government with most of the aid going towards the development of Malé’s roads.
Other agreements signed during the President’s visit includes the construction of 30,000 social housing units at Ras Malé and the expansion of Velana Airport.
An agreement has also been signed with a Chinese company to construct seven buildings, designated the Commercial Spine, at Hulhumalé Phase II’s Urban Isle, he said.
Nationalism Included in School Curriculum
The Maldivian government has announced its decision to include ‘Nationalism’ as a separate subject in school curricula starting from the upcoming new academic year.
Speaking to the press after a cabinet meeting the Principal Secretary to the President on Public Policy, Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim, said that the decision had been made so as to foster respect for the tenets and values of nationalism among the younger generation.
“We aim to create a generation that is familiar with nationalism and develops love for it,” Nazim said.
Teaching Nationalism as a separate subject is one of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s pledges made during the presidential campaign.
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