Anti-India climate in Maldives a concern
Indrani Bagchi
New Delhi, November 29
While India’s relations with Maldives are about to take a dive as a result of the Waheed government’s decision against Indian company GMR, India is concerned that “many other interests” may be at work in Maldives that could have prompted such a decision.
Sources here said the “climate” created in Maldives, which prompted a “victory rally” after the termination notice was announced was of immediate concern. It showed a deliberate fanning of anti-India sentiment that could have other, more disturbing implications. Among other things, it appears to be accompanied by a growth in radical Islamist sentiments, and seems to be directed against India.
Instead, China seems to have established itself as an attractive alternative to India. The radical Islamic party Adhaalath tweeted on Thursday, “We would rather give the airport contract to our friends in China, who now make the majority of our tourist population.” The tweets went on to say that Maldives as a tourist destination was beyond the reach of Indians but affordable for the Chinese. Describing China as a growing superpower, the party, tweeting under the handle, “Adhaalath” says, “With China already based in Seashells (sic), the addition of Maldives as a friend would be a massive blow to future Indian power in this region…. India would lose her reliance on our strategic location and global trade routes. We will seek the assistance of China in this endeavor.”
High level sources refrained from naming any country as playing in the muddy waters of Maldives, but this suspicion has taken root, which would have implications for the future of bilateral relations with this tiny country.
Its becoming clear that the Maldives decision had more to do with political factors than legal ones. The issue of airport development charges (ADC) which are at the heart of the problems between GMR and the Maldives government have been around for a time. The Maldives’ statement of Wednesday said their process was on for nine months.
Indian sources said foreign minister Salman Khurshid had suggested to his counterpart, Abdul Samad Abdulla, who visited here last week that India would get in a neutral international expert to iron out the differences between Maldives and GMR. But it fell on deaf ears.
The GMR-airport controversy was one of the triggers of the Nasheed overthrow in February. Logically, this ought to have been resolved by now. But sources here said India had all along been told by the Government of Maldives that the GMR issue was a “legal” affair. Yet there are strong political overtones, which are evident now, they said.
India was once again caught off guard by the Maldives decision, just as it had been caught off guard by the February 7 overthrow. Now as then, India’s high commissioner, DN Mulay has been under attack, and now, as then, the government has maintained its support of its chief diplomat there.
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New Delhi, November 29
While India’s relations with Maldives are about to take a dive as a result of the Waheed government’s decision against Indian company GMR, India is concerned that “many other interests” may be at work in Maldives that could have prompted such a decision.
Sources here said the “climate” created in Maldives, which prompted a “victory rally” after the termination notice was announced was of immediate concern. It showed a deliberate fanning of anti-India sentiment that could have other, more disturbing implications. Among other things, it appears to be accompanied by a growth in radical Islamist sentiments, and seems to be directed against India.
Instead, China seems to have established itself as an attractive alternative to India. The radical Islamic party Adhaalath tweeted on Thursday, “We would rather give the airport contract to our friends in China, who now make the majority of our tourist population.” The tweets went on to say that Maldives as a tourist destination was beyond the reach of Indians but affordable for the Chinese. Describing China as a growing superpower, the party, tweeting under the handle, “Adhaalath” says, “With China already based in Seashells (sic), the addition of Maldives as a friend would be a massive blow to future Indian power in this region…. India would lose her reliance on our strategic location and global trade routes. We will seek the assistance of China in this endeavor.”
High level sources refrained from naming any country as playing in the muddy waters of Maldives, but this suspicion has taken root, which would have implications for the future of bilateral relations with this tiny country.
Its becoming clear that the Maldives decision had more to do with political factors than legal ones. The issue of airport development charges (ADC) which are at the heart of the problems between GMR and the Maldives government have been around for a time. The Maldives’ statement of Wednesday said their process was on for nine months.
Indian sources said foreign minister Salman Khurshid had suggested to his counterpart, Abdul Samad Abdulla, who visited here last week that India would get in a neutral international expert to iron out the differences between Maldives and GMR. But it fell on deaf ears.
The GMR-airport controversy was one of the triggers of the Nasheed overthrow in February. Logically, this ought to have been resolved by now. But sources here said India had all along been told by the Government of Maldives that the GMR issue was a “legal” affair. Yet there are strong political overtones, which are evident now, they said.
India was once again caught off guard by the Maldives decision, just as it had been caught off guard by the February 7 overthrow. Now as then, India’s high commissioner, DN Mulay has been under attack, and now, as then, the government has maintained its support of its chief diplomat there.
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