Why in news?

• Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu has asked India to withdraw its troops from the island nation by March 15.
• This announcement was made even as the India-Maldives High Level Core Group held its first meeting, in Malé.
  • The High-Level Core Group was set up when the Maldivian President and PM Modi met on the sidelines of the UN climate summit in Dubai.

What’s in today’s article?

• India – Maldives Bilateral Relation
• News Summary

India – Maldives Bilateral Relation

• India and Maldives share ethnic, linguistic, cultural, religious and commercial links and enjoy close, cordial and multi-dimensional relations.
• India was among the first to recognise Maldives after its independence in 1965 and to establish diplomatic relations with the country.

India as a first responder and net security provider

• India’s prompt assistance during the 1988 coup attempt, led to development of trust and long-term and friendly bilateral relations with the Maldives.
  • Under Operation Cactus the Indian Armed Forces helped the Government of Maldives in the neutralization of the coup attempt.
• India was the first to assist Maldives during the 2004 Tsunami as well as the water crisis in Malé in Dec 2014.
• India had swift dispatch of 30,000 doses of measles vaccine in Jan 2020 to prevent an outbreak in the Maldives.
• India’s rapid and comprehensive assistance to the Maldives during COVID-19 pandemic further reinforced India’s credentials of being the first responder.

Security & Defence Cooperation

• A comprehensive Action Plan for Defence was also signed in April 2016 to consolidate defence partnership.
• India provides the largest number of training opportunities for Maldivian National Defence Force (MNDF), meeting around 70% of their defence training requirements. India has trained over 1500 MNDF trainees over the past 10 years.
• Annual Defence Cooperation Dialogue at level of Defence Secretary was initiated in July 2016.

Development Cooperation

• The major completed and ongoing development assistance projects executed by India are
  • Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital
  • Maldives Institute of Technical Education (now called the Maldives Polytechnic)
  • India-Maldives Faculty of Hospitality & Tourism Studies
  • Technology Adoption Programme in Education Sector in Maldives
  • National College for Police and Law Enforcement (NCPLE)
• Infrastructure & Connectivity Projects under Exim Bank Line of Credit of US$ 800 million
  • The following projects are being implemented under these LoCs:
    • Water and Sanitation in 34 Islands
    • Addu Development Project (Roads and Land Reclamation)
    • Cancer Hospital
    • Gulhifalhu Port project
    • Hulhumalé Cricket Stadium: During PM visit in June 2019, it was committed that the Stadium will be built under Indian assistance.
• Greater Male Connectivity Project
  • The project aims to connect Male to Villingili, Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi islands through a series of bridges, causeways and roads.
  • It is funded through a separate $ 400 million LoC and $ 100 million grant from India.

Bilateral Economic and Trade Relations

• India emerged as Maldives’ 2nd largest trade partner in 2022. The total bilateral trade between the two countries stood at $501.82 million in 2022 (Jan – Dec).
  • During this period, India’s export to Maldives stood at $ 495.40 million and import from Maldives was $ 6.42 million.
• In November 2022, India, amid the economic challenges faced by the Maldives, handed over a financial assistance of US$ 100 million.
• In December 2022, the RBI signed a Currency Swap Agreement with the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA).
  • This agreement enabled MMA to make drawals in multiple tranches up to a maximum of USD 200 million from the RBI.

Tourism

• In 2023 alone, among the tourists who travelled to the Maldives, Indians formed the largest group of tourists with over 200,000 travellers.

Indian Community:

• Indians are the second largest expatriate community in Maldives with an approximate strength of around 22,000.
• About 25% of Doctors and Teachers in Maldives are Indian nationals.

News Summary: Maldives asks India to withdraw troops by March 15

• Maldives and India have set up a high-level core group to negotiate the withdrawal of troops.
  • The group held its first meeting at the Foreign Ministry Headquarters in Male of January 14.

How many Indian troops are in the Maldives?

• There are 88 Indian military personnel in the Maldives.
• Indian soldiers have been sent to the Maldives at various points for training Maldivian troops, in both combat and reconnaissance and rescue-aid operations.

Anti-India sentiments among a section of the Maldives’ population

• In 2020, the India Out campaign started as on-ground protests in the Maldives which later spread widely across social media platforms. By the second half of 2021, it had developed into an active and visible political campaign.
• The supporters of the campaign had claimed that it had been started to protest against what they called Indian military presence in the country.
  • They had actively targeted all aspects of India-Maldives bilateral relations.

What are the major factors behind the fear and suspicion?

• Controversy over 2 Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters (ALF) given by India to Maldives.
  • Indian officers had been sent to the Maldives to train the Maldives National Defence Force, under whose command these helicopters operate.
  • However, it was portrayed that by gifting these helicopters, India was creating military presence in the country.
• Perceived Lack of transparency of previous govt about its dealings with India
• UTF Harbour Project agreement signed between India and Maldives in Feb 2021
  • Under this agreement, India was to develop and maintain a coastguard harbour and dockyard at Uthuru Thilafalhu, a strategically located atoll near the capital Malé.
  • Sections of Maldivian media had speculated that the UTF project would be turned into an Indian naval base.