From defence to infra development, how India has always stood with Maldives

Maldives, a tiny island nation located 2,142 kilometres away from India, found itself as a target of boycott calls by Indians on social media in the beginning of 2024. Reason: Three Maldives ministers rubbed India the wrong way by making crude and racist remarks at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India.

Maldives, which attracts massive number of tourists from across the world including India, rushed to damage control on Sunday thereby distancing itself from the remarks made by Malsha Shareef, Mariyam Shiuna and Abdulla Mahzoom Majid.

Hours later, these three ministers were suspended just day before Maldives president Mohammad Muizzu heads to Beijing to seek funds. Last November, Muizzu had assumed presidency by seeking votes in the name of ousting Indian armed forces from Maldives.

Last month, PM Modi had met the Maldives president along the sidelines of COP28 summit in Dubai. Both the countries had agreed to set up a core group to strengthen their partnership.

India has always stood by Maldives in its good and bad times. New Delhi was among the first to recognise the island nation after its independence in 1965 and also established diplomatic relations.

In 1988, India rushed to help Maldives thwart a coup attempt by Abdullah Luthufi. The coup backed by Sri Lankan militant group Liberation Tiger of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was neutralised by India under the mission code-named ‘Operation Cactus’.

Here are some key initiatives taken by India to help Maldives:

1. On November 17 2018, PM Modi attended the swearing-in ceremony of then president Ibrahim Solih. He held bilateral talks with Solih just after the latter’s oath ceremony. PM Modi conveyed India’s desire to work closely for the realisation of Maldives’ developmental priorities.

A month later, Solih visited India on his first foreign trip since taking over. India announced a financial assistance package worth $1.4 billion, including $50 million as budgetary support to GoM, subscription by SBI to the GoM’s Treasury bills of US$ 150 million, the Currency Swap Agreement for US$ 400 million and 8 infrastructure Projects under the $ 800 million Line of Credit (LoC).

2. Since 1988, defence and security has been the major area of cooperation between the two countries. India provides the largest number of training opportunities for the Maldivian National Defence Force (MNDF). It meets around 70 per cent of their defence training requirements, a document by Ministry of External Affairs stated.

Over the past 10 years, India trained over 1,500 MNDF. The Maldivian force has participated in various activities like joint EEZ patrols, anti-narcotic ops, SAR, sea-rider programme, HADR exercises, adventure camps, sailing regatta, etc.

The Indian Navy has also provided MNDF with air assets for air survellance, MEDEVAC, SAR, Helo-borne vertical insertion capability.

3. The MNDF actively participates in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, search and rescue, pollution control and other exercises organised by India. New Delhi had provided pollution dispersant to MNDF Coast Guard in 2016, and is also undertaking customised trainings for MNDF Fire and Rescue Service in India.

4. India has executed several development projects in Maldives. It includes the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, built in 1995 with Indian grant assistance. The major renovation of the hospital was completed in 2017 with fund assistance by India under Modi government.

The Maldives Institute of Technical Education, now known as Maldives Polytechnic, was completed at a cost of ₹12 crore and handed over the Maldives government by India in 1996.

The foundation stone for the India-Maldives Faculty of Hospitality & Tourism Studies was jointly laid by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Maldives president Abdul Gayoom during the former’s visit to Maldives in September 2002.

5. India became Maldives’ third largest trade partner in 2021, with Indian exports to Maldives comprising engineering and industrial products like drugs and pharmaceuticals, radar apparatus, rock boulders, aggregates, cement and agriculture produce like rice, spices, fruits, vegetables and poultry produce etc.