Mutual interest, reciprocal sensitivity basis of ties: Jaishankar tells Maldives
Moosa Zameer is the first Maldivian leader to visit New Delhi after President Mohamed Muizzu took steps to move the Indian Ocean archipelago closer to China
New Delhi: India told the Maldives on Thursday that “mutual interests and reciprocal sensitivity” should form the basis of bilateral ties, as external affairs minister S Jaishankar met his visiting Maldivian counterpart Moosa Zameer amid a sharp deterioration of the overall relationship.
Zameer is the first Maldivian leader to visit New Delhi after President Mohamed Muizzu took steps to move the Indian Ocean archipelago closer to China and reduce its dependence on India in areas ranging from food security to defence cooperation. His visit also coincided with a deadline set by Muizzu for withdrawing more than 80 Indian military personnel from the Maldives.
“As close and proximate neighbours, the development of our ties is obviously based on mutual interests and reciprocal sensitivity,” Jaishankar pointedly said in his opening remarks at the meeting with Zameer.
“As far as India is concerned, these are articulated in terms of our Neighbourhood First policy and SAGAR [Security and Growth for All in the Region] vision,” he said, adding he hoped the meeting would enable the two sides to “strengthen the convergence of our perspectives in various domains”.
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Jaishankar said Zameer’s visit is an opportunity to discuss the bilateral relationship and “chart out future directions”. It is in the common interest of both sides to “reach an understanding on how best we take our relationship forward”, he added.
He further noted that India has been a “key provider of development assistance” to the Maldives, and these projects – ranging from infrastructure schemes and social initiatives to medical evacuations and health facilities – have directly contributed to the quality of life of the Maldivian people.
“We have also extended financial support on favourable terms in the past,” Jaishankar said, in a tacit reference to debt traps created by Chinese projects undertaken through the Belt and Road Initiative.
“India has been a first responder on numerous occasions for the Maldives. Our cooperation has also enhanced the security and well-being of your country through shared activities, equipment provisioning, capacity building and training,” Jaishankar said.
Noting that the world is passing through a volatile and uncertain period, Jaishankar said: “In such times, as we saw during Covid, during natural disasters and economic difficulties, close partnerships with neighbours are of great value.”
The discussions between Jaishankar and Zameer covered the range of the overall bilateral engagement, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a media briefing. These included “security issues on which we work together”, disaster relief given India’s role as a first responder, and capacity building, he said.
Zameer said in a post on X that he and Jaishankar reflected on the long history of bilateral partnership shaped by “mutual respect and understanding” and “exchanged perspectives on increasing engagement and exchanges”.
A readout from the Maldivian foreign ministry said both sides discussed ways to “forge opportunities for future collaboration in government priority areas”. Both ministers committed themselves to working closely together on priority areas of mutual interest.
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They also acknowledged the “notable progress of projects facilitated through Indian grant assistance and line of credit initiatives” and the dialogue underscored a “partnership built on mutual trusts, shared interests and values”.
Zameer appreciated India’s support in advancing economic, trade and investment ties and New Delhi’s committed role in the socioeconomic advancement of the Maldives, the readout said.
Zameer arrived in New Delhi ahead of the May 10 deadline set by Muizzu for the withdrawal of more than 80 Indian military personnel who were stationed in the Maldives to operate two helicopters and an aircraft mainly used for medical evacuations and humanitarian operations. India has already pulled out 51 personnel in two batches in March and April and replaced them with civilian experts.
Jaiswal said the two sides were engaged to “see how best they can continue the operation of the aviation platforms”. He added that India had replaced the military personnel with technical personnel who can operate the platforms and will take care of services.
