Relations between India and Maldives are going very bad at present.
The main reason behind this is none other than President Mohammad Muizzu himself. He had openly given anti-India slogans during his election campaign.
Now that Muizzu has come to power, his ministers and party leaders have become uncontrollable. India, which has been a true ally for decades, is now the target of the rulers of Maldives.
Actually, Prime Minister Modi had posted a video of himself made on a beach in Lakshadweep.
After this, Maldivian ministers and some others used derogatory language for him, after which a controversy arose on social media. Maldives is going to suffer the biggest loss in this entire dispute.
There is no doubt that Maldives is a developed country in terms of tourism. But this beautiful tourist destination is now facing the threat of boycott by Indian tourists, putting the main source of its economy at risk.
Last year, Indian tourists were the largest group to visit Maldives by nationality. That means Indians were the largest and number one among the tourists coming to Maldives from any country. Indians contribute significantly to the tourism-driven economy of the Maldives.
There may be more tension in relationships
Maldives is a small island nation with a population of 520,000 compared to India’s 140 crore. It depends heavily on its huge neighbor India for essential things like food, infrastructure and technological advancements.
Maldivians have expressed fears that the diplomatic dispute could further strain relations between the two countries.
The dispute clearly shows the disappointment among the local people. They are not only scared of a possible boycott by India but are also targeting their own government.
Mariam Eem Shafeeg, a student at the Maldivian National University, told the BBC: “We are disappointed by the call for a boycott (from India). But we are more disappointed with our government. There was a lack of good decisions on the part of our officers.”
Depend on India for food, education and health
Shafeeg, who is part of the Maldivian Democratic Party, known for its “India First” policy, says his country is “dependent on India for food, education and even health care.”
The diplomatic rift could pose economic risks for the Maldives. Apart from this, it is also likely to have a deep impact on cultural, economic and geopolitical relations.
India is a strategic ally, with military personnel and helicopters deployed on its islands. However, relations have deteriorated since Muizzu, who is considered pro-China, was elected in November.
What do the figures say?
Maldives is dependent on various countries for the import of its goods. India was its second largest contributor in 2022. Which was more than 14% of the country’s total imports.
That means Maldives imports 14 percent of its needs from India. According to International Monetary Fund (IMF) data, India’s exports to Maldives are expected to increase from $170.59 million in 2014 to $496.42 million in 2022. In 2022, imports from India see a growth of 56%.
Over the past few years, both India and China have been working hard to make their mark in the Maldives’ import market. According to IMF data, India has consistently shown growth in exports to Maldives.
India’s share in Maldives’ total imports has increased from 8.55% in 2014 to 14.12% in 2022. China’s share has been higher than India’s for many years, but was lower in 2022.
Muizzu comes to power after winning over anti-India sentiments
The ruling coalition of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and People’s National Congress (PNC) has stoked anti-India sentiments during the 2023 presidential elections and attempted propaganda on the subject. This has been said in a report by the European Union (EU).
The European Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) on Tuesday published its final report on the two rounds of elections held on September 9 and 30 last year. “The parties’ campaign contained anti-India sentiments,” it said.
Concerns were also raised about the presence of Indian military personnel inside the country. Along with this, online disinformation campaigns were run.” The report said, ”Both camps were also engaged in negative propaganda. One camp was also alleging permission for the presence of the Indian Army.
The incumbent president at the time, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), had sought re-election the previous year. Mohammad Muizzu of the PNC, backed by the opposition PPM-PNC alliance, defeated him and won the election with 54 percent of the votes.
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