China and the Maldives have signed an agreement paving the way for greater Chinese military assistance to Male. While the details of the agreement are remain unclear, The agreement, details of which are still unclear, follow a string of decisions in recent months by president Mohamed Muizzu’s government to reduce his country’s reliance on India. Mint takes a look.
Understanding the new agreement
On Tuesday, China and the Maldives announced that a defence agreement has been signed between the two countries, witnessed by senior officials from both the sides.
“Minister of Defence @mgmaumoon and Major General Zhang Baoqun, Deputy Director of the Office for International Military Cooperation of the People’s Republic of China, signed an agreement on China’s provision of military assistance gratis to the Republic of Maldives, fostering stronger bilateral ties,” the Maldivian defence ministry said in a post on social media site X.
Maldivian president Muizzu was quoted as saying that defence equipment will be provided to the Maldives by China free of cost. This, he explained, would help boost the country’s autonomy.
The backdrop
Since assuming office last year, president Muizzu has been keen on strengthening ties with China. A pivotal moment came in January when he met with president Xi Jinping in Beijing, culminating in the signing of several bilateral agreements spanning agriculture, infrastructure, and development.
While the Maldives has historically maintained amicable relations with China, Muizzu’s term has been marked by a cooling of ties with India, traditionally the country’s top foreign policy partner, evidenced by his directives for Indian military personnel to exit the Maldives and his refusal to extend a hydrological cooperation pact with New Delhi. The frequency of high-level dialogues between the Maldives and India has also diminished.
China’s historical role
China’s strategic footprint in the Indian Ocean has been on an upward trajectory, paralleling its burgeoning naval capabilities. A 2017 initiative to establish a joint ocean observation station with the Maldives raised eyebrows in India, sparking concerns over potential security repercussions. Although this project has been on hold, the Maldives continues to permit Chinese research vessels, such as the Xiang Yang Hong 3, to dock at its ports to collect oceanic information, stirring apprehensions in India due to the potential military intelligence benefits for China.
Relations with India
Maldives is headed into a parliamentary election this month, which will be a crucial test for incumbent president Muizzu. The results of this election, and the relative security of his position domestically, may have an impact on his need to rely on nationalist rhetoric, often aimed at India, in order to win support at home. As things stand, news of this latest defence pact is unlikely to go down well with India.