New Delhi: After completing his first state visit to China with much fanfare, Maldivian President Mohammed Muizzu returned to Male to take stock of deteriorating relations with India.
Relations between the two countries were already at a low ebb, with Muizzu demanding that Indian troops leave the island nation and his government not renewing an agreement that allows India to conduct hydrographic surveys in Maldivian waters. . But over the past six days, several dominoes have fallen in rapid succession. The question is, will Muizzu pick up the pieces or leave them where they are?
The latest controversy was triggered by derogatory comments made by three of Muizzu’s ministers against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indians at large. The mention of Indians drinking cow urine was a low blow, but it was not until Indians on social media began encouraging a tourism boycott of the Maldives that Male issued a statement distancing itself from the ministers’ comments. Did it and then suspended him.
Some Maldivian MPs, like Eva Abdullah, suggested a formal apology from India, and former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb told me in an interview that all this could have been avoided if Muizzu had called Modi.
If Muizzu’s latest visit is any indication, it is that he is in China’s camp. He praised China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and, in what was considered a slight to India, called on Beijing to reclaim its number one position as the country sending the most tourists to the Maldives. (Last year, India topped the list with over 2 lakh tourist arrivals to the island nation).
Sure, Muizzu and Modi met last month on the sidelines of COP28 in Dubai, but his conversation with Chinese First Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang at the same event was much warmer. A statement issued by the President’s Office soon after the meeting said China-Maldives relations will “enhance” under Muizzoo’s leadership.
With Bollywood celebrities like Akshay Kumar embroiled in controversy, the hashtag #BoycottMaldives is trending on social media, Indian travel agencies have canceled flights to Male, and Indian news outlets have been keenly covering every aspect of Muizzu’s trip to China. Making the island nation ThePrint’s Newsmaker of the Week. ,
Space for diplomatic maneuver is diminishing
By choosing China as his first official foreign trip after taking office, Muizu immediately distinguished himself from his predecessors, most of whom chose India for their first trip. Even former President Abdullah Yameen, known to be pro-China who also blocked defense deals with New Delhi, chose India for his first state visit in 2013.
That said, reports indicate that Muizzu’s government had reached out to New Delhi in November for the dates of the proposed visit. Did New Delhi react with radio silence?
Even if that happened, one could argue that a line in the sand had already been drawn at Muizzu’s swearing-in ceremony, which Modi abandoned. Union Earth Sciences Minister Kiren Rijiju attended the ceremony. During this meeting Male formally requested India to withdraw military personnel from the island nation, which was Muizzu’s move in the “India-out” campaign. This campaign inherited from Yameen was not just election rhetoric; Muizzu meant trade.
Now that they have signed 20 agreements with China, including one on grant aid, the scope for diplomatic maneuver with India has reduced.