India’s relations with Maldives rest on the twin important pillars of ‘mutual interests’ and ‘reciprocal sensitivity’, said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday. The remarks came during his interaction with the visiting Foreign Minister of Maldives, Moosa Zameer, when South Block also confirmed that “competent Indian technical personnel” have reached Maldives to look after the aviation platforms that India maintained in the archipelago nation for humanitarian purposes.
“The world is today passing through a volatile and uncertain period. In such times, as we saw during COVID, natural disasters and economic difficulties, close partnerships with neighbours are of great value…It is in our common interest that we reach an understanding on how best we take our relationship forward,” said Mr. Jaishankar in his speech during the meeting with the visiting Maldivian Minister. Mr. Zameer said, “We reflected on our long history of bilateral partnership shared by mutual respect and understanding,” and added that issues from the bilateral as well as international domains featured in the talks. Mr. Zameer is the first high-level official from Maldives to visit India since President Mohamed Muizzu took charge in September 2023.
Officials of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the two sides also discussed “regional security issues”, development partnership, ongoing capacity building and training initiative. “India has been a First Responder on numerous occasions for Maldives,” said Mr. Jaishankar during the meeting.
Victory of Muizzu
The visit of Mr. Zameer is being keenly watched as it took place in the backdrop of the landslide victory of President Muizzu’s People’s National Congress (PNC) in the April parliamentary election. The victory further entrenched President Muizzu’s hold over the Maldivian political landscape six months after winning the presidential election against the previous incumbent Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Mr. Muizzu had campaigned on ‘India Out’ pitch seeking to oust the Indian military personnel who were stationed in the country mainly to help in operating the aerial platforms that served Maldives’ health and environment-related emergencies. India maintained around 75 military personnel for the required purposes that gave Mr. Muizzu an emotive ground of political mobilisation. He further sharpened his criticism of India by visiting China and Turkey first after taking office and by holding a press conference on return from Beijing where he hinted at India and said Maldives would not get “bullied”. Subsequently, a few of President Muizzu’s minister colleagues had caused bilateral problem by making comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, leaving behind the past irritants, Mr. Zameer has told the media that Maldives is exploring the possibilities of a visit to India by President Muizzu.
The two sides held multiple rounds of negotiations to ensure an amicable solution to the issue of personnel for the aviation platforms and the MEA confirmed on Thursday that apparently, the issue has been addressed with the arrival of Indian technical team in Male. “As regards the specific issues, as you are aware, both sides have been working together to ensure continued operation of Indian aviation platforms that provide humanitarian and medvac services to the people of Maldives. Accordingly, deputation of competent Indian technical personnel has taken place,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.
