Jaishankar hosts Maldivian FM, seeks reciprocal sensitivity amid Malé's growing ties with China

Jaishankar reminded Zameer of New Delhi’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ and Security and Growth for All in the Region) policies.

New Delhi: With President Mohamed Muizzu’s administration leading the Maldives into China’s orbit of influence, New Delhi on Thursday reminded Malé of the development assistance India provided to the neighbouring Indian Ocean archipelago and subtly prodded it to show “reciprocal sensitivity”.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar hosted his counterpart from Malé, Moosa Zameer, who was in New Delhi for his maiden bilateral visit to any foreign country in the six months since taking over as the foreign minister of the Maldives.

“As close and proximate neighbours, the development of our ties is obviously based on mutual interests and reciprocal sensitivity,” Jaishankar told Zameer at the beginning of a bilateral meeting on Thursday, subtly conveying New Delhi’s unease over Malé’s growing bonhomie with Beijing since Muizzu took over as the president of the Maldives in November 2023 and started undoing his predecessor Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s ‘India First’ policy.

Notwithstanding the Muizzu Government’s leanings toward China, Zameer on Thursday conveyed to Jaishankar Malé’s request for New Delhi for a debt relief package. New Delhi agreed to consider the request and continue further discussion with Malé on the issue.

Muizzu’s administration recently estimated that the loans taken by the erstwhile Solih Government from India surpassed $1.4 billion.

Malé wants New Delhi to ease the terms of the debt repayment.

“We reflected on our long history of bilateral partnership shared by mutual respect and understanding. We exchanged perspectives on increasing engagement and exchanges between Maldives and India, both bilaterally and in the international arena,” Zameer posted on X after the meeting.

The meeting between Jaishankar and Zameer took place just a day before the deadline set by the Muizzu Government for India to withdraw all its military personnel from the Maldives would come to an end.

Jaishankar reminded Zameer of New Delhi’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ and SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) policies.

“India has been a key provider of development assistance to the Maldives. Our projects have benefited the lives of people of your country, and contributed directly to the quality of life,” the external affairs minister told the foreign minister of the Indian Ocean nation. “They range from infrastructure projects and social initiatives to medical evacuation and health facilities. We have also extended financial support on favourable terms in the past. India has been a First Responder on numerous occasions for Maldives.”

He noted that India’s cooperation has also enhanced the security and well-being of the Maldives “through shared activities, equipment provisioning, capacity building, and training”.

Most of India’s 88 military personnel in the Maldives had been deployed to operate and fly the Dornier aircraft and the two Advanced Light Helicopters gifted by New Delhi to the neighbouring archipelago for emergency evacuation of people from the remote islands.

Muizzu had in September 2023 won the presidential elections in the Maldives, He had promised during his election campaign that he would make India withdraw all its military personnel from the Maldives after winning the polls as their presence undermined the sovereignty of the archipelago nation.

He kept his promise and, within a few weeks after taking the helm of the government, he made India commit to withdrawing all its military personnel from the Maldives by May 10.

Beijing moved to step up defence cooperation with Malé even as India recently got a strategic edge against China in the Indian Ocean region with a jetty and airstrip it built in Mauritius. The Indian Navy also moved to enhance its operational capability in the vicinity of the Maldives and commissioned the Naval Detachment Minicoy as INS Jatayu.