Maldives Threatens India to Pull Back; Invites China for Further Investments

By
EurAsian Times Desk
-

In the wake of the deteriorating India-Maldives relations, the Maldives has asked India to pull back its military helicopters and personnel at the earliest. The Maldives has been asking India to withdraw its helicopters and officials ever since the bilateral agreement between the two elapsed in June. 

Delhi Ignored, Mali-Beijing Friendship Blossoms

This reiteration from the Maldives is the latest on the list of occasions when Mali has belittled New Delhi. India has been a traditional ally of the Maldives and has facilitated the Maldives with military and civilians aids for decades. But under President Abdullah Yameen, the Maldives is blatantly ignoring India and showing a strong affinity towards China.

As India gets snubbed by Mali, China is investing heavily in the Maldives. China has been building roads, bridges, larger airports and other key infrastructure projects in the Maldives as India gazes.

Things have degraded between India and the Maldives ever since India condemned the actions of President Yameen when he imposed an emergency in the Maldives. India expressed dissent to the political crackdown of leaders in the Maldives undertaken by the Yameen government. Political rivals of Yameen also urged India for a military intervention and this made Yameen government suspicious of India.

The Maldives is of great strategic significance for India in terms of its Indian Ocean policy. But seems like India is slowly losing grip over the Maldives as China incessantly is pulling the latter towards it with massive investments. The side which has a larger control over Mali will certainly enjoy greater power in the Indian Ocean and India would not want to lose ground.

More News at EurAsian Times

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR