One delightful evening, when Raffi met Shravan, he noticed that Shravan seemed a bit perplexed and engrossed in something. When Raffi inquired, Shravan shared that he was having difficulty grasping the intricacies of the Maldives issue. He requested Raffi's assistance in gaining a better understanding of the matter. Raffi responded, suggesting that comprehending this issue requires obtaining a comprehensive overview, and assured Shravan that he would assist him in making sense of it.
It all commenced with a tweet on January 4th, 2024, by our esteemed Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, detailing his visit to the beaches of Lakshadweep. Notably, the tweet made no reference to the Maldives; however, a few Maldivian ministers responded with disparaging remarks, insulting our Prime Minister, and questioning India's sovereignty. This triggered the emergence of the hashtag #boycottmaldives on social media, resulting in the mass cancellation of flight and hotel bookings for Indian travellers bound for the Maldives.
Recognizing the escalating tensions, the Maldivian government took swift action, suspending three deputy ministers on January 7th, 2024, who were responsible for the derogatory comments. The Maldives Foreign Ministry clarified on the same day that these comments were the personal opinions of the ministers and did not reflect the official stance of the government.
However, the crux of this matter had no connection to a Maldives versus Lakshadweep scenario or any other discernible issue. To grasp the full scope of this situation, let us delve into its underlying layers.
Let us understand the geographical information and a few other details of Maldives; It is Situated in the low lying region of the Indian Ocean, has a population of approximately 500,000 inhabitants, comprises 1,190 coral islands, with only about 200 islands supporting human habitation, encompasses an area of 90,000 square kilometres, with 99% of the territory covered by the sea, features 150 private resort islands dedicated exclusively to tourism, tourism contributes to 28% of Maldives' GDP, government revenue relies heavily on import duties and taxes related to tourism, constituting 90% of the total tax amount, leading import partners include the UAE and India, with China holding the third position.
Until half a century ago, the absence of resorts or hotels prevailed as the UN deemed Maldives unsuitable for tourism due to its low-lying location in the Indian Ocean. The inaugural resort, Kurumba Resort, was established in 1972. Subsequently, each island underwent development under the One Island One Resort Scheme.
As per the 2023 report from the Maldives Ministry of Tourism, the tourist arrivals were as follows: 209,198 from India, 209,146 from Russia, 187,118 from China, 155,730 from the UK, 135,090 from Germany, 118,412 from Italy, 74,575 from the US, and 49,199 from France.
To talk about India and Maldives ties; India and Maldives share strategic ties and a military alliance, with India playing a pivotal role in the SAGAR initiative (Security and Growth for All in the Region), significantly benefiting Maldives. India initiated its Neighbourhood First policy in 2008, extending its positive impact to Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. As reported by The Hindu on November 20, 2023, there are currently 77 Indian military personnel stationed in Maldives, and the new government is reviewing over 100 agreements with India.
In a gesture of cooperation, India donated two Dhruv advanced light helicopters to Maldives in 2010 and 2015, specifically for aiding in calamities, ocean search and rescue missions, and emergency patient airlifts. Furthermore, Indian warships actively patrol the Maldives Exclusive Economic Zone, highlighting the collaborative efforts in ensuring regional security and stability. Even amidst the dictatorship in Maldives from 1978 to 2008, India constructed the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, which remains the largest hospital in the nation to this day. India helped out Maldives during the 2014 water crisis too.
Between 1978 and 2008, Maldives experienced three coups, during which it sought assistance from various nations. However, only India extended support during these tumultuous times. As reported by The Indian Express on November 4, 2023, Operation Cactus stands as a testament to India's intervention in preventing a coup in Maldives.
Notably, The Times of India highlighted on November 13, 2007, that India had undertaken the responsibility to train the Maldivian army in countering terrorism, reflecting a collaborative effort in enhancing security capabilities.
In a further display of cooperation, The Economic Times reported on February 22, 2021, that the EXIM Bank had granted a line of credit worth $50 million to Maldives, specifically earmarked for funding defence projects. This financial support underscores the ongoing commitment to strengthening defence capabilities and fostering security in the region.
The extensive support extended by India has become a source of contention among political factions within the Maldives.
Comments
Post a Comment