China and the Maldives have signed an agreement paving the way for increased Chinese military assistance to Male. While details of the agreement remain unclear, the deal, the details of which are still unclear, follows a series of decisions in recent months by President Mohamed Muizzu's government to reduce his country's dependence on India. Mint looks for a moment.
Understanding the new agreement
On Tuesday, China and the Maldives announced that a defense agreement had been signed between the two countries, in the presence of senior officials from both sides.
“Minister of Defense @mgmaumoon and Major General Zhang Baoqun, Deputy Director of the Office for International Military Cooperation of the People's Republic of China, signed an agreement on China's free supply of military aid to the Republic of Maldives, bringing stronger bilateral ties be promoted,” the Maldivian Ministry of Defense said in a post on social media site
Maldivian President Muizzu said China will provide free defense equipment to the Maldives. This, he explained, would help increase the country's autonomy.
The background
Since taking office last year, President Muizzu has wanted to strengthen ties with China. A pivotal moment came in January when he met President Xi Jinping in Beijing, culminating in the signing of several bilateral agreements in agriculture, infrastructure and development.
Although the Maldives has historically maintained friendly relations with China, Muizzu's term has been marked by a cooling of ties with India, traditionally the country's most important foreign policy partner, as evidenced by his directives for Indian military personnel to leave the Maldives and his refusal to renew a contract. hydrological cooperation pact with New Delhi. The frequency of high-level dialogues between the Maldives and India has also decreased.
China's historical role
China's strategic footprint in the Indian Ocean has been increasing in parallel with its burgeoning naval capabilities. A 2017 initiative to establish an ocean observation station with the Maldives raised eyebrows in India and raised concerns about possible security implications. Although this project has been put on hold, the Maldives continues to allow Chinese research vessels, such as the Xiang Yang Hong 3, to dock at their ports to collect oceanic information, raising concerns in India due to the potential military intelligence benefits for China.
Relations with India
The Maldives will hold parliamentary elections this month, which will be a crucial test for incumbent President Muizzu. The results of these elections, and the relative security of his position at home, may influence his need to rely on nationalist rhetoric, often aimed at India, to win support at home. As things stand, news of this latest defense pact is unlikely to go down well with India.