NEW DELHI: The Maldives on Wednesday assured India that it will not undermine its larger neighbour’s security concerns on the issue of Chinese dual-use research vessels frequenting the strategically-located archipelago, while also responding positively to a slew of defence cooperation steps including lease extension of the two Indian helicopters and a Dornier aircraft deployed in the country.
The emerging reset in bilateral relations, which have gained momentum since Maldivian President Mohammed Muizzu held talks with PM Narendra here last Oct after a period of decidedly icy ties, was evident in the meeting between defence minister Rajnath Singh and his counterpart Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon here.
Describing the delegation-level meeting as “fruitful”, Singh reaffirmed India’s readiness to support the Maldives in capability enhancement for defence preparedness, including provisioning of military platforms and assets to augment capacities of the Maldives National Defence Forces (MNDF). “The discussions will add new vigour to India-Maldives relations,” he said.
India also handed over defence equipment, including utility vehicles and berthing items worth around Rs 35 crore, to the Maldives. The two sides also agreed to accelerate the MNDF `Ekatha Harbour’ project, the foundation stone for which was jointly laid in May 2023 by Singh and his then Maldivian counterpart Mariya Didi. The development of the coast guard harbour and repair facility at Sifavaru is one of the biggest grant-in-aid projects of India.
The sharing of maritime security information as well as the supply of Indian coastal radar systems and other defence equipment to the Maldives also figured in the talks.
Sources said the Maldivian delegation said their country will never take any step to compromise India’s security interests in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). India has conveyed to the Maldives its serious concerns about Chinese research ships docking at its ports and mapping oceanographic and other data useful for navigation and submarine operations in the IOR.
“The Maldives is conscious of our concerns that extra-regional powers should not gain ground and disturb the stability and equilibrium in the IOR,” a source said.
Bilateral relations had become extremely strained after the pro-China Muizzu govt came to office in Malé in Nov 2023. Apart from signing a defence cooperation pact with China, the Muizzu govt had forced India to withdraw its over 80 military personnel operating the Dornier and two `Dhruv’ advanced light helicopters in the archipelago.
At the meeting, the extension of the about to expire lease of the Dornier and the two choppers, now operated by civilian Indian personnel, was also discussed. “The Maldivian response was positive,” the source said.
Maumoon acknowledged India’s historical role as the ‘First Responder’ for the Maldives, while thanking New Delhi for assisting Malé in augmenting modern infrastructural capacities and training of the MNDF, the MoD said.
The significant turnaround in ties came after India agreed to provide support in the form of $400 million and Rs 3,000 crore as a bilateral currency swap agreement to tackle the financial crisis being faced by the Maldives during the Modi-Muizzu meeting last October.
The two sides on Wednesday reasserted the firm commitment to work closely in realizing the joint vision for the India-Maldives comprehensive economic and maritime security partnership, the MoD said.