Amid deteriorating diplomatic relations between India and Maldives, the old friendly relations between the two countries, which go back six decades to Muizzu’s rule, are now being scrutinized.
When Maldives got independence from the British colony in 1965, India was the first country to give it the status of an independent country.
India opened its embassy there in 1980. Nearly 30 years after India’s move, China established its diplomatic center in Maldives in 2011, but as soon as China befriended Maldives, relations between Maldives and India started deteriorating.
Maldives became pro-China from pro-India
In November 2013, Abdulla Yameen became the new President of Maldives. Yameen was inclined towards China. China’s diplomacy flourished during his government.
It was during his reign that Mali signed a free trade agreement with Beijing and joined the Belt and Road Initiative.
The agreement allowed China to lease the Maldivian islands and allowed Beijing to play an active role economically and diplomatically in the country.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, China spent huge money in Male and imposed huge debt on Maldives in the name of development. Maldives turned from pro-India to pro-China under Yameen’s government.
If we look at the figures, Maldives is China’s third largest debtor after Angola and Djibouti. This small island country owes China an amount which is equal to about 30 percent of its GDP.
Most of this is debt from the Yameen administration, when the Yameen government was dancing to the tune of China.
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