NEW DELHI — India on Thursday urged the pro-China Maldives to ease tensions and improve their strained relationship.
The foreign ministers of India and Maldives met in New Delhi a day before the deadline set by new Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu for India to withdraw dozens of its soldiers from the archipelago nation.
Tensions between India and Maldives have increased since the pro-China Muizzu came to power last year.
Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar told his Maldivian counterpart Moosa Zameer that India has been a key provider of development assistance, including infrastructure projects, healthcare and health facilities.
“It is in our common interest that we reach an understanding on how best to take our relationship forward,” Jaishankar was quoted as saying in a statement by India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
Zameer’s response was not immediately known.
Regional powers India and China compete for influence in the Maldives, which has a strategic location in the Indian Ocean.
Muizzu’s election sharpened their rivalry as he adopted a pro-China stance and moved to withdraw Indian troops stationed on one of the Maldives islets.
The Press Trust of India news agency said India has so far withdrawn 51 of its soldiers in two groups from the Maldives.
At least 75 Indian military personnel were stationed in the Maldives. They operated two aircraft donated by India and helped in the rescue of people stranded or facing calamities at sea. Muizzu has taken steps to have civilians take over those activities.
Muizzu ran for president on the campaign theme “India Out,” accusing his predecessor of compromising national sovereignty by giving too much influence to India.
After taking office, Muizzu visited China before India and said the Maldives’ small size is not a license for anyone to intimidate it.
On his return, he explained his plans to free his nation from dependence on India for health facilities, education and medicine.
Last year, New Delhi broke ground on the Indian-funded Greater Male connectivity project, billed as the largest infrastructure initiative in the island nation, a 6.7-kilometer (4.2-mile) long bridge and a causeway connecting the capital city Male with the islands of Villingli, Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi.
India is also helping the Maldives build 4,000 homes and has extended a $100 million line of credit to finance other infrastructure projects. The two countries have signed cooperation agreements on cybersecurity, disaster management and fishing zone forecasting capacity.
In 2013, the Maldives joined China’s “Belt and Road” initiative to build ports and roads to expand trade (and China’s influence) in Asia, Africa and Europe.
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