Maldives President Abdulla Yameen has promised to keep the Indian Ocean a “demilitarized zone”.
He gave this assurance in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi which was delivered by visiting Maldivian foreign secretary Ali Naseer Mohamed to foreign minister Sushma Swaraj.
Modi is likely to travel to Maldives for his neighbourhood outreach in the next couple of months.
What was the Background?
- Maldives’ assurance came after objections made by India to a new land law passed by the Maldivian parliament
- The law seeks to give foreigners ownership of land in the archipelago.
- This has stoked fears in India that Maldives could allow China to invest in real estate in Maldives, which could become a security problem for India.
What did the Maldivian officials say?
Maldivian officials said that:
- Though the land law was “unprecedented” (traditionally Maldives has always leased land rather than sell it), the law states the investment would have to cross $1 billion, and 70% of the land would have to be reclaimed land, rather than existing real estate.
- There is no question of allowing foreign countries to set up military bases here
- The idea behind the law was to spur rapid economic development in the archipelago.
India’s concern over China’s initiative in Maldives
- Whether Maldives invites China to invest or not, the current fact is that the Chinese companies are faster off the mark.
- China also sends close to 400,000 tourists to Maldives every year, way higher than Indians.