A top Maldivian diplomat has criticised Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for cancelling a 2015 state visit to the Maldives.
In an interview with Tribune India about Indo-Maldives relations, the ambassador to India Ahmed Mohamed spoke about the free trade agreement with China that has raised concerns over China’s influence in the Maldives.
Mohamed told the Tribune that China wanted a “quick FTA” which prompted the Maldives to engage easily with China.
The country’s first FTA was rushed through parliament in November 2017. The government says it will open up the world’s largest consumer market for tariff-free fish exports, while the Maldives committed to waive import duties for Chinese goods.
Mohamed said that an FTA with India was being discussed but remarked that things were moving slowly.
“There are certain things that need to move faster [from India’s side], including FTA. On infrastructure developments, we have requests with India pending since the 2014 visit of President [Abdulla] Yameen. There are requests for which we need speedier processing,” he said.
Speaking about the state visit of Modi that was cancelled following the arrest of opposition leader and former President Mohamed Nasheed, Mohamed said that the cancellation did not bode well.
“We have not been told that PM Modi’s visit did not happen because of that reason [Nasheed’s arrest and the protests that followed]. It would have been better for the ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy if PM Modi had visited us,” he said.
Maldives follows India first and Modiji (India) follows Maldives last. Pres. Yameen’s first state visit was to India. We Maldivians may ask for but will never beg. Maldivians are smart enough to find their own ways. History proves that.
The PPM leaders are only good at taking high-interest loans… then spending it on frivolous nonsense. Welcome to reality.
Maldives playing to India domestic politics
So it’s BJPs fault. If Congress were in power, Maldives would not have been ignored by India !
All surrounding nations are turning towards China…..Nepal, Bangla, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, now Maldives….Pak is there by default. BJP ally RSS makes statements threatening minorities is further alienating dividing country internally but nobody stops them.
If India is dragging its heels on the FTA and PM Modi seems in no hurry to pay you a state visit it means you are not on the priority list. I cannot see why there is a need for a FTA. What exactly does the Maldives produce that we don’t already produce in abundance and that includes fish?
On the other hand can you survive without cheap imports from India and access to our low-cost health and educational facilities?
The anti India garbage being churned out regularly from your politicians and trash mag Vaguthu doesn’t help your cause.
2018 is not looking good for you. Expect strict visa restrictions soon.
Best to concentrate on the fishing.
India is bigger than BJP or Modi, or both. Similarly, Congress is not India.
India has held multiple perfect democratic elections at State ( regional) level as well as all-India (national) level. Considering that India is a vast country with a massive electorate, the holding of so many fair and free elections, flawlessly, is a remarkable achievement.
Maldives must try to emulate India in democratic elections.
Indian government’s slowness in decision-making as contrasted with China’s is regretable, but much of it is because of India’s democracy and China’s lack of it.
The aspirations of China and India are also radically different. China aspires to super-power status and world domination. India is not a competitor to China in this respect.
India’s aims, on the world stage, are modest compared to that of China.
And rightly so.
As a very small and weak, fragile, country, Maldives requires wise and smart leadership.
Good government will lead to success.
Maldives must work with whoever is in power in India. Indian people’s choice must be respected by the Maldivian leadership.
That is democracy as well.
Who cares about cardboard superpower poverty India ?
China is the king of Asia now.
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