Maldives Upset By China’s Move, India Came To Help
Maldives upset by China’s move, India played friends role and kept dragon away.
China has built a 2.1 km long China-Maldives Friendship Bridge in the Maldives between the Indian Ocean.
The China-funded bridge is built at $ 200 million (Rs 14.79 billion) and connects Maldives capital Male to the international airport. India has always considered the Maldives as its ally.
In order to curb China’s growing influence, India announced a $ 500 million (Rs 36.98 billion) package in August. The 6.7 km long bridge will connect Male with three islands.
It will be the largest infrastructure project in the Maldives, a cut of China’s growing dominance. Maldives upset with China is now looking towards India.
Security becomes a problem if Maldives becomes a puppet of China
Maldives President Abdulla Yameen, who assumed power in 2013, left New Delhi and moved closer to Beijing. In return, he got millions of dollars from China.
Yameen’s defeat in the 2018 election gave India a chance to improve relations. China’s growing proximity with the Maldives was becoming a major threat to the country’s security.
Major Seaway
Maldives may be Asia’s smallest country with around 1200 coral islands and a population of half a million but it is strategically important in the Indian Ocean.
Nearly half of India’s external trade and 80 percent of energy is imported from the Maldives sea corridors.
There are good relations with India: Maldives Upset By China’s Move.
Maldives has been India’s closest ally, given its geographical proximity and strong historical and economic ties.
India was one of the first countries to recognize Maldives after independence from the British in 1965.
A 1988 coup attempt against Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was thwarted by India with the help of paratroopers.
After the 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean, India sent three naval ships to assist the Maldives. But after Yameen, the relationship soured.
Exercise to improve relationship
The Maldives is now trying to improve bilateral relations.
According to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, financial aid to the Maldives has exceeded $ 2 billion (Rs 147.92 billion) after Solih came to power.
This indicates the importance of Maldives and the outlook of Delhi. PM Narendra Modi announced a $ 1.4 billion (Rs 103.54 billion) financial assistance to the Maldives.
In August this year India announced a package of $ 500 million (Rs 36.98 billion) for the Greater Male connectivity project.
Many infrastructure projects funded by India in the Maldives are already underway.
Increasing debt on Maldives
After the swearing-in of President Ibrahim Mohammed Solih’s government in November 2018, he had a lot of difficulty in finding out how much of the amount Maldives have taken from china.
The central bank governor believed that he owed $ 600 million (Rs 44.37 billion) directly, but the Maldivian companies also had $ 90 million (Rs 66.56 billion) in loans issued under government guarantee.
Mohammad Nasheed, the former president and now leader of Solih’s ruling Maldivian Democratic Party.
He has said China’s debt to the Maldives could be $ 3 billion (Rs 221.88 billion) or more than half of GDP. Although China has called the figure exaggerated.
Try to balance
Analysts say that Maldives cannot separate from China due to the large amount of debt and dependence on China’s income.
But Maldives continues to reach countries like the US and Japan. Those countries support India’s position and want the Maldives government did not come under the undue influence of Beijing.
Relations were improved with China
China did not even have an embassy in Male before 2011, but the BRI project and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s first visit to Maldives in 2014 changed the picture.
A new round of investment has started. This includes the expansion of the airport at Rs 59.16 billion, a 7,000-apartment residential project on Hulhumele Island, and the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge.
