India-Maldives ties getting ‘back on track’ a welcoming move: Former Foreign Minister Maumoon

Former Maldivian foreign minister Dunya Maumoon on Monday expressed optimism about New Delhi and Male ties getting “back on track” after the relationship between the two countries snowballed into a major diplomatic row earlier this year.

Her comments came against the backdrop of Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu thanking India for its support of the island nation in easing its debt repayment, and also affirming hope that New Delhi and Male would forge stronger ties and sign a free trade agreement.

“It was recently our Independence Day and many people were questioning our independence given the financial situation and our excessive dependency on various other countries. In the past as well, we have relied a lot on your support. While I welcome it and I welcome getting back on track with this very important relationship between Maldives and India, I have concerns because we are a medium-developed country in terms of our economy. We are able to actually bring in very good income from our tourism. And I think it’s unfortunate that the past governments and the current politics in our country have been very wasteful and the actual development and the outputs or advances we need to see for the people of our country have not been happy”, said the former Foreign minister while speaking with ANI.

“It is still my hope that the current government or President Muizzu is going to correct these wrongs and to ensure that Maldives once again becomes a properly independent country, which is proud of our history and our own self-reliance,” she added.

On Friday, Muizzu, while addressing the official Independence Day function in the Maldives, commended the administration’s foreign policy, celebrating eight months of ‘diplomatic success,’ according to the Maldives President’s Office. He expressed gratitude to India and China for their support in easing the Maldives’ debt repayment, thereby enabling the country to ensure economic sovereignty.

Notably, emphasising the need to alleviate the local shortages of US dollars, he said that the Maldives government is negotiating currency swap agreements with both New Delhi and Beijing. The Maldives President also announced that his administration is negotiating a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United Kingdom and expressed hope to reach a similar agreement with India.

Speaking on this, Maumoon wished the current government would negotiate an FTA for the benefit of the Maldivians and hoped ‘to see continuity and consistency’ and ‘international relations not becoming a plaything for any government that is in place.’

“I wish every success … in discussion and negotiating the FTA and its benefits to Maldivians or we do hope to see that and I also have to see consistency and continuity and I hope that our international relations do not become a plaything of the government that is in place because these are very important ties that we have and this includes our relationship with China and as well as with India as well as with many other countries across the world,” said Maumoon.

Maumoon pointed out the economic landscape of the island nation and stated how the larger goal of reducing her country’s reliance on various factors still stands.

“My hope has always been that any government that is in place actually stick to the vows and promises in benefiting the Maldivian people. Unfortunately, the country’s wealth continues to be concentrated in a small number of hands, including particularly within tourism. Most of our young people are without jobs, they do not have gainful employment. They do not have avenues for recreation, and they do not have the support they need including in starting up new businesses, and the whole environment around them continues to deteriorate in terms of crime, in terms stability of our country so we are very concerned and we do hope that we do see good changes happening during President Muizzu term in office,” said the Former Foreign Minister.

Notably, tensions have risen between India and the Maldives since Muizzu took office last year, leading to a shift in alliances and agreements with China. In May this year, India has exited its military from the Maldives after a demand by President Mohamed Muizzu.

Recently, Muizzu’s government in the Maldives took a reconciliatory tone after ties between the two nations soured, leading to a diplomatic row in January after three Maldivian deputy ministers made derogatory comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his pictures from the visit to Lakshadweep.

PM Modi had called for the Indian island cluster to be developed as a destination for beach tourism and promotion of domestic tourism.

The matter snowballed into a major diplomatic row, with New Delhi summoning the Maldivian envoy and registering a strong protest against the viral posts. Later, the three deputy ministers were suspended.

Since January, many efforts have been undertaken by the Muizzu-led government in order to restore the relationship, which includes several high-level visits, including the President himself coming to India for the swearing-in ceremony of the Indian Prime Minister or the visit of the Maldivian Foreign Minister.

Earlier this year, Muizzu sought debt relief measures in the repayment of the hefty loans taken from the country over consecutive governments. He even stated that India will continue to remain the Maldives’ “closest ally” and emphasised that there was no question about it.

The loan amount owed by the Maldives to India by the end of last year stood at 6.2 billion Maldivian Rufiyaa, according to Maldives-based The Edition.