Ever since Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was elected to office, an ‘India Out’ campaign has cropped up within the country.
Context
Ever since Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was elected to office, an ‘India Out’ campaign has cropped up within the country.
Key-Highlights
- The campaign has mostly cropped on social media, for over the last three.
- It is led by government critics. The critics accuse Maldives President's government of “allowing Indian boots on the ground”. It comprises the sovereignty of the island nation.
- However, the ruling administration has denied the presence of any Indian military in Maldives, or any threat to Maldives’s sovereignty.
- Most recently, the campaign gained momentum when former President Abdulla Yameen started leading it, after the Supreme Court set him free in November 2021 by overturning his conviction in a money-laundering case.
India–Maldives Relations
- India and Maldives share a maritime border. Relations between both the countries have been friendly as well as close in strategic, economic and military cooperation.
- India contributes to maintaining security in Maldives.
- India and Maldives established their diplomatic relations, after Maldives got freedom from British rule in 1966.
- India was among nations to recognise Maldives’ independence first. Since then, both the countries have developed close strategic, economic, military, and cultural relations.
- India has supported Maldives’ policy to keep regional issues and struggles away from itself.
Operation Cactus
- After the success of Operation Cactus, relations between both the countries have expanded significantly.
- India has provided economic aid and has participated in bilateral programmes to develop infrastructure, telecommunications, health, and labour resources.
- India established the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Male.
