{"id":33213,"date":"2023-01-20T12:59:44","date_gmt":"2023-01-20T07:29:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=33213"},"modified":"2025-04-19T20:14:34","modified_gmt":"2025-04-19T14:44:34","slug":"visit-of-indias-external-affairs-minister-to-maldives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/visit-of-indias-external-affairs-minister-to-maldives\/","title":{"rendered":"Visit of India\u2019s External Affairs Minister to Maldives"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><strong>What\u2019s in today\u2019s article?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Why in news?<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>What are India\u2019s interests in Maldives?<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>News Summary: Visit of India\u2019s External Affairs Minister to Maldives<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Key highlights of the visit<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Why this visit assumes significance?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Why in news?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>In order to further expand bilateral engagement with key maritime neighbour of India, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Maldives recently.<\/li>\n<li>This visit also assumes significance as the presidential election in Maldives is to be held on September 9 this year.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What are India\u2019s interests in Maldives?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/pWcMpl_OtwLQ1NdBD6CmPYsq0rJNnGacEEkGFWsGOxRnRDwHMlA2bsaq-IxfNhD0ulj7gPAgzgww9Nxkg_uU_oJjJVOP1yXYHX-PYUKRcjK2JxaU27yvvSIkcoUsym3jF-H4wMW8xwn7XfWLsCzQ2w\" alt=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Image caption: Location of Maldives<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Strategic Importance<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Maldives is barely 70 nautical miles away from Minicoy and 300 nautical miles away from India\u2019s West coast.<\/li>\n<li>It is situated at the hub of commercial sea\u2010lanes running through Indian Ocean (particularly the 8\u00b0 N and 1 \u00bd\u00b0 N channels).<\/li>\n<li>It has potential to allow a third nation\u2019s naval presence in the area.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Geo-political interest<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Securing sea lanes of communication; Fighting piracy and sea-based terrorism;\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Countering China\u2019s string of pearls policy;\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Making Indian Ocean a conflict free zone and restoring its status as sea of tranquil;\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Exploring blue economy and Enhancing trade; Security of Indian expatriates working there;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><strong>China Angle<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>China\u2019s strategic footprint in India\u2019s neighbourhood has increased.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>The Maldives has emerged as an important &#8216;pearl&#8217; in China\u2019s \u201cString of Pearls\u201d construct in South Asia.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Internal Security Angle: Radicalisation<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>In the past, the number of Maldivians drawn towards terrorist groups like the Islamic State (IS) had increased.<\/li>\n<li>Political instability and socio-economic uncertainty are further fuelling the rise of Islamist radicalism in the island nation.<\/li>\n<li>This gives rise to the possibility of remote Maldivian islands being used as a launch pad for terror attacks against India and Indian interests.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>News Summary: Visit of India\u2019s External Affairs Minister to Maldives<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Recently, External Affairs minister S Jaishankar visited Maldives and held talks with the top leadership in the country.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Key highlights of the visit<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>India and Maldives signed pacts on development projects<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The pact included grant assistance of 100 million Rufiyaa [currency of Maldives] for the High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP) scheme.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>A number of socio-economic development projects are planned to be implemented throughout the country under this funding.<\/li>\n<li>It also included the development of a sports complex in Gahdhoo, and academic collaboration between Maldives National University and Cochin University of Science and Technology.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Handover of two sea ambulances\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Indian Minister handed over two sea ambulances to the Maldives Defence Ministry.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Groundbreaking ceremony of an international airport\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>EAM participated in the groundbreaking ceremony of an international airport being developed by India at Hanimadhoo in Haaa Dahaalu atoll.<\/li>\n<li>The airport is the second biggest infra project that India has begun in recent months after the $500-million Greater Male Connectivity project.\n<ul>\n<li>Greater Male Connectivity project aims to link the Maldives capital to three neighbouring highlands with a 6.74-k bridge and causeway over the sea.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Why this visit assumes significance?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Presidential Election in Maldives<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Maldives is scheduled to undergo a Presidential election on September 9 this year.<\/li>\n<li>Relations between India and the Maldives have improved dramatically since 2018, when Solih defeated Abdulla Yameen.\n<ul>\n<li>Yameen was president from 2013 to 2018 and during his tenure, Maldives foreign policy had seen a pronounced pro-China tilt.<\/li>\n<li>Also, last year, he ran an anti-India campaign alleging that the MDP government has sold out to India.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Although, India has not overtly expressed its preference for the polls, it wants a favourable government in Maldives.\n<ul>\n<li>From the Indian point of view, Solih is a sober, steady pair of hands at the helm, in a country crucial to its interests in the Indian Ocean.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Internal fights among the leaders of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and India\u2019s concern<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Current President Ibrahim Solih has announced he will run for a second term.<\/li>\n<li>However, his candidature has been opposed within his party by former president and leader of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Mohamed Nasheed.<\/li>\n<li>For Delhi, the feuding in the MDP is bad news as this will give more space to the opposition party.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Rise in anti-India sentiments<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>In the past five years, Delhi\u2019s Neighbourhood First and SAGAR policies have found expression in the improvement of ties.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Maldives is part of the India-driven <strong>Colombo Security Conclave (CSC).<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The CSC was formed in 2011 as a trilateral maritime security grouping of India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.<\/li>\n<li>The conclave aims to increase the security cooperation, covering marine safety and security, human trafficking, counter-terrorism, and cyber security.<\/li>\n<li>A permanent Secretariat was established in Colombo.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>However, recently, Maldives saw rise in anti-India sentiments in the form of <strong>India Out campaign<\/strong>.\n<ul>\n<li>This campaign alleged that the cooperation between the governments of the two countries is undermining the national security and sovereignty of the Maldives.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Hence, the recent visit of EAM gives out the message that India is a committed partner in the Maldives\u2019s journey of progress and transformation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong>Q1)<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>Where is Maldives geographically located?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>\u00a0The Maldives is an independent island country in the north-central Indian Ocean. It lies southwest of Sri Lanka and India.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Q2)<\/strong><strong>\u00a0Which channel acts as a maritime boundary between the Maldives and India?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>\u00a0The maritime boundary between the Maldives and India runs through the Eight Degree Channel. It separates the islands of Minicoy and Maldives.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Source:\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/india\/india-maldives-have-responsibility-for-regional-peace-security-jaishankar-in-male-8390501\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><u>India, Maldives have responsibility for regional peace, security: Jaishankar in Male<\/u><\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mea.gov.in\/outoging-visit-detail.htm?36131\/Press+Statement+by+External+Affairs+Minister+Dr+S+Jaishankar+at+the+Joint+Press+Conference+with+the+Foreign+Minister+of+Maldives\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><u>MEA<\/u><\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/maldives-polls-indias-concerns-ibrahim-solih-s-jaishankar-visit-8392753\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><u>Indian Express<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>VIDEO:<\/strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=9-GPnFIb94A\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><u>https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=9-GPnFIb94A<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>External Affairs Minister visited Maldives to expand bilateral relationship with the maritime country.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":33214,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-33213","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33213","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33213"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33213\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33214"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33213"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33213"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33213"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}