Allow Maldives to breathe

IN the era of multi-polarity, India needlessly spoilt its ties with Nepal by insisting that its writ prevail over framing the rules for the general elections. It has come second best to China in the Maldives after South Block tried to breathe down Male’s neck. An opportunity now beckons for India to turn the page with the Indian Ocean island nation after its Supreme Court ordered the freeing of opposition politicians and restoring the cancellation of parliamentary (Majlis) membership of some others. India, like many other interested countries including the US, has been quick to seek compliance. 

The interest is understandable because the current regime in the Maldives has been painted as pro-China. This kind of easy labelling does a grave disservice to the state of play in international relations. Even India remains averse, and rightly so, to putting all its strategic eggs in one basket. Former President Mohd Nasheed is the current Indian favourite for the top post in Male. But he was also not averse to cosying up to the Chinese. Nasheed sprang a nasty surprise on India and paved the way for China’s entry by allowing it to open an embassy in Male the day then PM Manmohan Singh landed there for the SAARC Summit in 2012. 

It is unhelpful to paint the current regime as pro-China. The Maldives ensures regular military exercises with India and is perfectly happy outsourcing the monitoring of its exclusive economic zone to the Indian Navy’s southern command. India must not lose this bipartisan support ever since its military averted a coup attempt in 1987. There are some tricky issues involved in the Supreme Court verdict. The Maldives government must be afforded the space to work out the modalities now that it has telegraphed its intention to honour the verdict. Simultaneously, India needs to rework its compact with the Maldives on the basis of the understanding that the days of exclusivity in inter-state relations are well and truly over. The Maldives has recently assured New Delhi that it will always be “India First”. It is best not to press it too hard on the basis of apprehensions and suspicions, or worse, in geopolitical arrogance.