NEW DELHI: The Maldives on Wednesday assured India that it will not undermine its larger neighbour’s security concerns on the issue of Chinese dual-use research vessels frequenting the strategically-located archipelago, while also responding positively to a slew of defence cooperation steps, including lease extension of the two Indian helicopters and a Dornier aircraft deployed in the country.
The emerging reset in bilateral relations, which have gained momentum since Maldivian President Mohammed Muizzu held talks with PM Narendra in Delhi last Oct after a period of decidedly icy ties, was evident in the meeting between defence minister Rajnath Singh and his counterpart Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon.
Describing the delegation-level meeting as “fruitful”, Singh reaffirmed India’s readiness to support the Maldives in capability enhancement for defence preparedness, including provisioning of military platforms and assets to augment capacities of the Maldives National Defence Forces (MNDF). “The discussions will add new vigour to India-Maldives relations,” he said.
India also handed over defence equipment, including utility vehicles and berthing items worth around Rs 35 crore, to the Maldives. The two sides also agreed to accelerate the MNDF ‘Ekatha Harbour’ project, the foundation stone for which was jointly laid in May 2023 by Singh and his then Maldivian counterpart Mariya Didi. The development of the coast guard harbour and repair facility at Sifavaru is one of the biggest grant-in-aid projects of India.
The sharing of maritime security information as well as the supply of Indian coastal radar systems and other defence equipment to the Maldives also figured in the talks.
Maldivian delegation said their country will never take any step to compromise India’s security interests in IOR. India has conveyed to the Maldives its concerns about Chinese research ships docking at its ports and mapping oceanographic and other data useful for navigation and submarine operations in the IOR.
Bilateral ties had become extremely strained after the pro-China Muizzu government came to office in Male in Nov 2023. Apart from signing a defence pact with China, Muizzu government had forced India to withdraw its over 80 military personnel operating the Dornier and two ‘Dhruv’ advanced light helicopters in the archipelago.
The turnaround in ties came after India agreed to provide support in the form of $400 million and Rs 3,000 crore as a bilateral currency swap agreement to tackle the financial crisis being faced by the Maldives during the Modi-Muizzu meeting last Oct.