Friday, 17 May, 2024
By: Yash Gupte
The Raksha Mantri’s visit will be an important landmark in building the strong bonds of friendship between the two countries. Image Source: IANS
In order to provide a further boost to the relations between both the countries and enhance the defence cooperation, India launched the Defence Cooperation Dialogue in 2016. This DCD is the highest institutionalised interactive mechanism between the two countries
Rajnath Singh, the Union Minister of Defence, will travel to the Maldives for an official three-day visit from May 1 to May 3, according to a government announcement on Sunday. During the tour, the defence minister will meet in-person with both the foreign affairs minister, Abdulla Shahid, and his Maldivian counterpart, Mariya Ahmed Didi. The Ministry of Defence in the official statement said, “In line with India’s commitment to capacity building of friendly countries and partners in the region, Singh will hand over one fast patrol vessel and a landing craft to the Maldives National Defence Forces. The Raksha Mantri’s visit will be an important landmark in building the strong bonds of friendship between the two countries.” It further added that India and the Maldives are working closely to address shared challenges, including maritime security, terrorism, radicalisation, piracy, trafficking, organised crime and natural disasters.
"India's vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) along with its 'Neighbourhood First' policy as well as Maldives' 'India First' policy seek to work together to jointly develop the capabilities within the Indian Ocean Region", the statement said. Rajnath Singh’s visit to the island nation is expected to further bolster the ties between New Delhi and Male. An agreement for the development of a coast guard harbour for maritime security was signed between New Delhi and Male in 2021. The Indian side has already submitted a Detailed Project Report (DPR) on the development of the harbour, which will be built at the Uthuru Thila Falhu naval base. Additionally, India has been assisting with the maintenance and repair of the Maldives National Defence Force Coast Guard Fleet.
Considering the Rajnath Singh’s 3 day visit to Maldives, India Tracker takes a look at the defence cooperation between New Delhi and Male.
The Indian Navy had also provided aid and relief material to the Maldives during the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, during the COVID-19 epidemic, the Indian Navy has been helping the Maldives. To aid in relief operations, the navy has shipped food and medicine to the island nation. Additionally, India gave the Maldives a CGS Huravee ship that had undergone renovations the previous year and opened the Phase-I extension of the Composite Training Centre (CTC) of the Maldives National Defence Force. In 2006, India gave the CGS Huravee to the MNDF as a gift, and with the help of an Indian grant, the Phase-I extension of CTC was completed. Maldives is the first South Asian country with which India started a bilateral air bubble during Covid-19 pandemic.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had held bilateral talks with the Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in August 2022. PM Modi had highlighted the importance of defence cooperation between New Delhi and Male and said that it is important for ensuring peace and stability in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). As per the bilateral talks, in order to counter the threat of transnational crime, terrorism and drug trafficking in the IOR, India will be giving 24 vehicles and one naval boat to the Maldives Security Force and help train the island nation’s security personnel.
India was among the first to recognise the Maldives after its independence in 1965 and to establish diplomatic relations with the country. One of the important agreements between both the countries was the development of Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP). The project is funded by a grant of USD 100 million and a Line of Credit (LOC) of USD 400 million from India. It is not only the largest project undertaken by India in the Maldives but also the biggest infrastructure project in the Maldives. It will include a 6.74 km causeway and bridge connecting Male with the surrounding islands of Villingli, Gulhifalhu, and Thilafushi. It will make use of clean energy.
It is regarded as the Maldives' economic lifeline and will significantly improve connectivity across the four islands that make up nearly half of the nation. The GMCP project would be larger than the 2018-completed Sinamale Bridge, which was constructed with Chinese help and connects Male with Hulhumale and Hulhule. Additionally, the August 2020 Indian assistance to the Maldives was praised and contrasted with China's earlier pricey commercial loans to the country, which are known as "debt-trap diplomacy" of China.
Source: Maldives Customs Service)
*2022(Jan-Sept)
Apart from the strengthening of relations between India and Maldives, India emerged as Maldives’ 2nd largest trade partner in 2021. Indian imports from the Maldives primarily comprise scrap metals while Indian exports to the Maldives include a variety of 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. Efforts are being made to tap the potential of seafood exports from Maldives to India. State Bank of India has been playing a vital role in the economic development of the Maldives since February, 1974 by providing loan assistance for promotion of island resorts, export of marine products and business enterprises. The data also shows that India has a favourable trade balance with Maldives as New Delhi has a trade surplus with Male.
In order to provide a further boost to the relations between both the countries and enhance the defence cooperation, India launched the Defence Cooperation Dialogue in 2016. This DCD is the highest institutionalised interactive mechanism between the two countries. It is one of India's frameworks at the policy level that aims to deepen long-standing and advantageous bilateral defence relations. The latest edition of the Defence Cooperation Dialogue was held in Male on March 19, 2023. The dialogue was co-chaired by India’s Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and his Maldivian counterpart, Chief of Defence Force, Maldives National Defence Forces Major General Abdulla Shamaal. The bilateral talks covered the existing bilateral exercises, with both countries agreeing to increase the complexity of these drills.
The Maldivian National Defence Force (MNDF) receives more than 70 percent of its defence training needs from India, which also offers the most training opportunities. Additionally, India opened the Phase-I extension of the Composite Training Centre (CTC) of the MNDF in Maafilaafushi, which was constructed with the help of a $1.07 million grant from India. Once finished, this center will serve as the main military training facility for the Maldives. India has trained more than 1,300 MNDF trainees over the past ten years and offered 300 training vacancies between 2021 and 2022, including for SPG, NSG, and MIO training.
Due to India's quick response during the coup attempt in 1988, the two countries have built strong, long-lasting bilateral relations. When our forces were no longer needed, they were immediately withdrawn to allay concerns about Indian supremacy or territorial ambitions. In 2018, during his third visit to India, Maldivian President Maldives’ Ibrahim Mohammed Solih reiterated that ‘India is the highest priority’ for his nation and government. But the relations between India and Maldives are not free of issues and threats. China poses the largest threats to the strengthening relations between New Delhi and Male.
The strategic footprint of China in the region surrounding India has grown. The Maldives has emerged as an important 'pearl' in China’s “String of Pearls” construct in South Asia. The strategic presence of China in the Maldives continues to be of concern given the shaky dynamics of Sino-Indian relations.
Additionally, the Maldives have begun negotiating with India using the China card. India is still a significant partner for the Maldives, but it must not become complacent in its position or lose track of what is happening there. To guarantee regional security in South Asia and adjacent maritime borders, India must play a significant role within the Indo-Pacific security space.
