THE CONTEXT: The fifth summit of the now 25-year-old Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) hosted by Sri Lanka, was held in March 2022 in a hybrid fashion. India’s Prime Minister, who attended the summit virtually, called for unity and cooperation in the region as it faces economic and health challenges. PM also announced the adoption of the organisation’s institutional architecture- the BIMSTEC charter. This article analyses this development in detail.

DETAIL OF THE SUMMIT

• The summit’s theme “Towards a Resilient Region, Prosperous Economies, Healthy People” captures the main current priorities of member states and the efforts by BIMSTEC to develop cooperation activities that support member states’ programmes to deal with the economic and development consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic.
• The main outcome of the summit was the adoption and signing of the BIMSTEC Charter, which formalizes the grouping into an organization made up of member states that are littoral to and dependent upon the Bay of Bengal.
• The summit saw considerable progress being achieved in the BIMSTEC connectivity agenda with adopting the ‘Master Plan for Transport Connectivity’ by Leaders, which lays out a guidance framework for connectivity-related activities in the region in the future.
• The Prime Minister underscored the importance of enhanced BIMSTEC regional connectivity, cooperation, and security, made several suggestions, and called upon fellow leaders to strive to transform the Bay of Bengal into a Bridge of Connectivity, Prosperity, and Security among the BIMSTEC-member countries.
• Three BIMSTEC agreements were signed during the summit
• BIMSTEC Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters.
• BIMSTEC Memorandum of Understanding on Mutual Cooperation in the field of Diplomatic Training.
• Memorandum of Association on Establishment of BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility.

BIMSTEC: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

THE GROUPING:

• The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a multilateral regional organisation established to accelerate shared growth and cooperation between littoral and adjacent countries in the Bay Bengal region.
• It has a total of seven member countries- five from South Asia, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, and two from Southeast Asia, including Myanmar and Thailand.
• It was founded as BIST-EC, in June 1997, with the adoption of the Bangkok Declaration, with Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand as members. It became BIMST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand Economic Cooperation) with the entry of Myanmar in late 1997, And eventually, it was named in its current form when Nepal and Bhutan became members in 2004.

THE AIM:

• The aim of setting up the regional grouping was not to create a new region for cooperation but to revive the connectivity and common interests of the Bay of Bengal region members.
• According to the official website of BIMSTEC, “the regional group constitutes a bridge between South and Southeast Asia and represents a reinforcement of relations among these countries.”
• BIMSTEC is different from other regional groupings such as SAARC or ASEAN because it is a sector-driven organisation.

WHAT IS THE WORKING MECHANISM OF BIMSTEC?:

• Until the current summit, BIMSTEC did not have a formal document or organisational architecture, which was adopted this time in the form of the BIMSTEC Charter.
• It did have a working mechanism for policy-making and operational goals. Policymaking would be done through two types of meetings: Summits, which are supposed to be held every two years; and ministerial meetings of Foreign and Commerce Ministers of member countries for deciding on trade and economic affairs, to be held once every year. An operational meeting of senior officials to monitor the activities of the grouping is also supposed to be held twice a year.
• Since its inception, BIMSTEC’s policymaking meetings have not been held as per plan. Just five summits, including the current one, have been held in 25 years.

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BIMSTEC?:

• The BIMSTEC region hosts 22% of the world population or 1.68 billion people; the member states have a combined GDP of US$3.697 trillion/per year.

IMPORATNCE OF BIMSTEC FOR INDIA

LOOK EAST POLICY:

• It should be seen in the context of India’s heightened interest and commitment to its “Act East” policy.
• Without a strong outreach to BIMSTEC member states, India’s attempts at achieving its Act East policy goals will lack momentum.

SECURITY:

• It could also be seen as aligning with India’s larger goal to gain trade and security prominence in the Indian Ocean region and to cater to the concept of the ‘Indo-Pacific’ region, a major focus of Quad countries.

AN ALTERNATIVE TO SAARC:

• The idea of BIMSTEC also gained prominence after the 2016 Uri attack when India was able to get SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) nations on its side to boycott the organisations’ summit, which was to be held in Islamabad, Pakistan.
• The progress of SAARC has stalled over the years due to Indo-Pak relations and what experts call Pakistan’s obstructionist approach to the organisation.
• BIMSTEC emerged as an alternative platform for cooperation.

CHINA’S INFLUENCE IN THE REGION:

• China’s influence and presence in India’s neighbourhood have grown enormously on account of BRI initiatives.
• Debt burdens have forced India’s neighbours to hand over assets to China.
• India will be hoping that its economic engagement with the Bay of Bengal littoral states will restrict Chinese influence in these countries.

REGIONAL COOPERATION:

• BIMSTEC has gained popularity among South Asian countries as a platform for regional cooperation.
• The organisation is a bridge between South Asia and Southeast Asia.
• BIMSTEC’s major strength is that it includes two influential regional powers: Thailand and India.
• The region has countries with the fastest-growing economies in the world.

FUTURE PERSPECTIVEs:

• India is likely to find that focusing its diplomatic energies on BIMSTEC member states could be rewarding.
• Relationships among BIMSTEC members are generally cordial, unlike the strained India-Pakistan relationship.
• BIMSTEC is not without its share of problems. India will need to convince other BIMSTEC members that its new outreach to them is not a “rebound relationship,” a short-term one to thumb its nose at Pakistan.
• BIMSTEC suffers from a lack of human and financial resources. India needs to allocate more resources to its BIMSTEC budget and should take an informal leadership role to provide BIMSTEC with momentum.

STRATEGIC SHIFT FROM SAARC TO BIMSTEC

THE URI ATTACK AND BOYCOTT OF THE SAARC SUMMIT:

• In September 2016 India saw a deadly attack on the army camp in Uri.
• After that attack, India expressed its inability to participate in the Islamabad SAARC summit due to “prevailing circumstances” and stepped up diplomatic pressure on Pakistan.
• Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Afghanistan followed India’s decision to stay away from the November summit to be held in Islamabad.
• India and other countries cited “cross-border terrorist attacks in the region” as a reason for boycotting the summit.

SHIFT FROM SAARC TO BIMSTEC:

• India invited the BIMSTEC leaders to the BRICS summit at Goa in 2016.
• In doing so it sent out the message that if SAARC wasn’t ready to deliver, India had BIMSTEC to turn to. After that, The Indian prime minister engaged BIMSTEC leaders in bilateral meetings.
• Since 2016 there has been no movement forward on resuming the SAARC summit.
• India is regularly attending the BIMSTEC summit and it had emerged as an alternative regional platform where five SAARC (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka) countries could gather and discuss sub-regional cooperation.
• India chose BIMSTEC over any other regional grouping indicative of India’s importance to the Bay of Bengal region.
• BIMSTEC=SAARC- (Pakistan, Maldives, and Afghanistan) +(Thailand and Myanmar)

WHY IS INDIA’S STRATEGIC FOCUS SHIFTING FROM SAARC TO BIMSTEC?

Apart from the terror issue, there are many other issues which are responsible for India’s strategic shift from SAARC to BIMSTEC. These are

FAILURE OF SAARC:

• SAARC has come under serious scrutiny in the last few years.
• From its very inception, member countries treated it with suspicion and mistrust.
• Even after three decades of its existence, SAARC’s performance has been less than satisfactory, and its role in strengthening regional cooperation is being questioned.
• In the 30 years of its history, annual SAARC summits have been postponed 11 times for political reasons, either bilateral or internal.
• Numerous agreements and institutional mechanisms established under SAARC have not been adequately implemented.

PAKISTAN’S NON-COOPERATION:

• Pakistan’s non-cooperation has stalled some major initiatives under SAARC.
• At the 18th SAARC summit in Kathmandu in 2014, initiatives such as the SAARC–Motor Vehicle Agreement (MVA), could not be signed.
• The SAARC satellite project that India proposed was abandoned following an objection from Pakistan in 2016.
• 19th summit scheduled to be held in Pakistan in 2016 was suspended for an indefinite period, as member countries declined to participate.
• While cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan is a major concern for India, Pakistan has failed to address these concerns.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIA IN BIMSTEC

BRIDGE BETWEEN SOUTH ASIA AND SOUTH-EAST ASIA:

• Nearly 1.5 billion people live along its coastline.
• 25% of the world’s traded goods across the Bay of Bengal every year.
• 80% of Chinese, 90% of South Korea’s, and Japan’s energy imports pass through the Bay of Bengal.

MARKET:

• The seven countries (apart from India) have a combined GDP of approximately US$ 2.7 trillion with 5.5% economic growth.

RESOURCES:

• the Bay of Bengal is the world’s largest bay, it is also rich in untapped natural resources, with some of the world’s largest fishing stocks, reserves of gas, and other sea bed minerals.

GEOSTRATEGIC:

• BIMSTEC community gives tacit recognition to India as a major power in Indo-Pacific by facilitating India to take a leading position.

ROLE IN INDO-PACIFIC:

• the Bay of Bengal acts as a funnel to the Strait of Malacca linking the Indian and Pacific oceans. It is a major maritime choke-up point for China, Japan, and most East and Southeast Asian states.

DEVELOPMENT OF COASTAL STATES:

• One-quarter of its population lives in states bordering the Bay of Bengal. Their growth and development are increasingly seen to hinge on the degree of connectivity with the Southeast Asian markets.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES FOR INDIA IN BIMSTEC?

LACK OF HUMAN AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES:

• BIMSTEC suffers from a lack of human and financial resources.
• India needs to allocate more resources to its BIMSTEC budget and should take an informal leadership role to provide BIMSTEC with momentum.
• India is currently the largest contributor to the BIMSTEC secretariat budget.

SUPREMACY:

• India would have to counter the impression that BIMSTEC is an India-dominated bloc; in that context, India can follow the Gujral doctrine that intends to chalk out the effect of transactionary motive in bilateral relations.

CONNECTIVITY:

• Connectivity is a major issue among BIMSTEC nations.
• North-Eastern states are important in deepening connectivity among BIMSTEC nations, but the Siliguri corridor (chicken neck) provides a very narrow passage for movement and obstructs connectivity.
• The underdevelopment of North Eastern states in terms of infrastructure and connectivity will also be a major hurdle.

REGIONAL INSTABILITY:

• Regional instability in the form of the Rohingya crisis and other intra and interstate issues can hamper the efficient and effective functioning of the grouping.

THE LACK OF CRITICAL SUPPORT:

• Strong and clear political commitment, adequate financial resources, full engagement of business and industry, and optimal involvement of civil society has been the principal constraint in BIMSTEC.

BCIM:

• The formation of another sub-regional initiative, the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Forum, with the proactive membership of China, has created more doubts about the exclusive potential of BIMSTEC.

BIMSTEC VS SAARC: WHICH IS MORE SUITABLE FOR INDIA?

If India wants to prove itself as a regional power, as the largest country in South Asia, India cannot escape its responsibilities under SAARC. The following points explain the differences between SAARC and BIMSTEC. In the end, it can be seen that none of them can substitute for each other. Rather they can complement each other’s roles.

THE WAY FORWARD

• India can’t afford to remain isolated in the light of recent forays by China in South Asia that India exerts as its own sphere of influence. By facilitating trade and economy through BIMSTEC, India can integrate the economies of surrounding countries. For e.g., India can integrate the BIG-B initiative of Bangladesh with its own SAGARMALA project
• To build this as a sustainable platform, India should also focus on maintaining consistency in the frequency of the summits to ensure regularity in decision making;
• It should also fund it more to improve the capacity of the secretariat, both in terms of manpower and funding. In the short term, since India lacks the resources, India should use its clout to derive funds from JICA, World Bank, or ADB.
• Ensuring tangible results/benefits, which will add to the motivation of the countries to concentrate on BIMSTEC
• To prevent this platform fall apart like SAARC, India needs to give teeth to it. This can be done by empowering BIMSTEC to be a platform for dispute resolution among member 24 countries. This will require debates and discussions among the BIMSTEC countries to reach a consensus. India should also go ahead of its reservations on certain issues that neighboring countries opine as big brotherly nature to improve their confidence.

THE Conclusion: Recent summit is a good opportunity for India and other BIMSTEC countries to develop a strong regional group to promote peace, stability, and trade. For India, it is an important platform to counter China in the South Asia region. Apart from it, with the help of BIMSTEC countries, India can develop an effective regional group for trade like ASEAN.

Questions:

1. Discuss the opportunities and challenges for India in the BIMSTEC grouping.
2. How far do you agree with this view that as being the largest country in the South Asia region, India should lead the region in world politics, and for that India should try for the revival of SAARC? Analyse your view.
3. ‘BIMSTEC is an opportunity for India for its Act East Policy, but it cannot be an alternative of SAARC’. Critically Examine.

THE CONTEXT: In Feb-March 2022, India and Maldives have dived into a new foray into strategic relations with bilateral meetings on various fronts. There have been high-profile visits of Indian dignitaries to the Maldives. This article analyses regional security and maritime safety issues along with socio-economic development, trade and investment, and tourism at a time when the “India Out” campaign is regaining momentum in the Maldives along with challenges of Chinese influence and others.

MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN INDIA-MALDIVES RELATIONSHIPS

DEFENCE COOPERATION DIALOGUE:

• Defence Secretary of India visited the Maldives on 13-14 Feb 2022, with the primary objective of discussions on the 3rd Defence Cooperation Dialogue(DCD).
• Both sides discussed joint efforts and capacity-building initiatives being taken by both the countries to deter trans-national crimes and bolster national security in the region.
• The Defence Secretary of India also inaugurated the Composite Training Center Phase-I Annex built with Indian grant assistance in the Maldives and handed over the refitted CGS Huravee – a made-in-India patrol vessel.

COLOMBO SECURITY CONCLAVE:

• NSA of India visited the Maldives on 7 March 2022 to attend the 5th NSA level Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) meeting.
• The four pillars of security cooperation (in CSC) include maritime safety and security, human trafficking, counter-terrorism, and cyber security.
• India, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka are the founding members of the Colombo Security Conclave. Mauritius was included as a new member of the conclave during the meeting, which was also attended by Bangladesh and Seychelles as observers in 2022.

CAG LEVEL BILATERAL MEET TO STRENGTHEN PROFESSIONAL CAPABILITIES IN MALDIVES:

• Steps were taken for furthering the cooperation between the two Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI) by operationalizing the MoU to strengthen the professional capacities and improve audit methodology.
• Emphasized the role of technology, in today’s rapidly changing world, which constantly creates fresh avenues for audit and makes audits more efficient. The exchange of knowledge and capacity development initiatives would equip both the SAIs in the use of emerging technologies for auditing.
• The MOU is signed at the most opportune time given the strategic shift towards future relevance which requires both the countries to cater to the demands of the knowledge economy and sustainable development.

VISIT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER TO MALDIVES:

• Inauguration of National College for Policing and Law Enforcement (NCPLE):
• NCPLE is one of India’s largest funded projects in the island nation – in the Maldives’ Addu City
• One of the objectives of this training academy is to address the challenges of violent extremism and prevent radicalisation.
• On the domestic level in the Maldives, the training academy would help strengthen law enforcement abilities and counter drug trafficking, a major concern in the country.
• MoU for Training: A memorandum of understanding was signed by the
• Maldives Police Service and India’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy to enhance cooperation in training and capacity building. India has also increased the number of training slots for the Maldives at the police academy to eight.
• Support for Infrastructure: The project for the creation of police infrastructure facilities across the islands of Maldives with over $40 million financing from EXIM Bank of India has also been given necessary approvals.

INDIA OUT CAMPAIGN AND INDIA OUT BILL:

• India Out campaign has cropped up every now and then within the Indian Ocean island nation, mostly on social media. The campaign is led by critics who accuse the present government of allowing Indian boots on the ground and thereby compromising the sovereignty of the island nation. The ruling administration has time and again denied any Indian military presence in the country or a threat to Maldives’s sovereignty.
• India Out Bill is a draft Bill by the present Maldivian government that criminalises public campaigns that apparently harm Maldives’ relations with foreign countries.

AN ANALYSIS OF RECENT VISITS

• The Maldives holds strategic importance for India under the present government’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy due to its location in the Indian Ocean. However, the relations between the two countries were strained under the pro-China regime of their former President Abdulla Yameen. This can be reflected in the recent ‘India Out’ campaign led by Abdulla Yameen, against India’s massive developmental funding for creating physical, social, and community infrastructure, and incumbent President Solih’s government retaining two India-gifted helicopters and their operational military personnel.
• For India, the Indian Ocean is of utmost importance. Since 2014, India has taken a proactive approach to cement its role as the leader in the Indian Ocean by according priority maritime diplomacy and initiatives. This comes against the backdrop of rising Chinese assertiveness in the IOR and the growing interest of various powers in the Indian Ocean generally, and the Maldives in particular. As the pre-eminent South-Asian power and net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region, India needs to cooperate in all dimensions with the Maldives. The recent bilateral meetings between India and Maldives will offer India the right opportunity.

AREAS OF ENGAGEMENT INDIA-MALDIVES RELATIONS

GEO-STRATEGIC: The Maldives, a Toll Gate in the Indian Ocean:

• Located in the southern and northern parts of this island chain lies the two important Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOCs). These SLOCs are critical for maritime trade flow between the Gulf of Aden and Gulf of Hormuz in West Asia and the Strait of Malacca in Southeast Asia.
• Nearly 50% of India’s external trade and 80% of its energy imports transit these SLOCs in the Arabian Sea.
• The location of the Maldives, at the intersection of commercial sea lanes running through the Indian Ocean, makes it strategically important for India, particularly in light of China’s growing aggression in the region.

IMPORTANT GROUPINGS:

• Maldives is a member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC).
• Engagement with QUAD (India, Japan, Australia, and the US)
• Maldivian engagement with the ‘Quad’, has been growing over the last year, especially in the area of defense cooperation.
• The present government signed a ‘Framework for a Defence and Security Relationship’ agreement with the United States. It was welcomed by India.

The South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) program set up in 2001 brings together Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka in a project-based partnership that aims to promote regional prosperity, improve economic opportunities, and build a better quality of life for the people of the subregion. SASEC countries share a common vision of boosting intraregional trade and cooperation in South Asia, while also developing connectivity and trade with Southeast Asia through Myanmar, the People’s Republic of China, and the global market.

SECURITY COOPERATION:

• India and Maldives conduct the joint military exercise ‘Ekuverin’ every year since 2009.
• Mauritius was included as a new member of the conclave during the fifth meeting of national security advisers of the Colombo Security Conclave. It is a maritime security grouping of India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Mauritius to forge closer cooperation on maritime and security matters among these Indian Ocean countries.
• MILAN, a Multilateral Naval Exercise hosted by India, made a modest beginning in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 1995 with the participation of four littoral navies. This biennial congregation of friendly navies, over the last two and a half decades, has progressively grown in magnitude with the latest edition in 2022 being attended by 42 countries including the Maldives.
• Maldives is also a member country of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). The objectives of IORA are:
• To promote sustainable growth and balanced development of the region and member states
• To focus on those areas of economic cooperation which provide maximum opportunities for development, shared interest, and mutual benefits
• To promote liberalization, remove impediments, and lower barriers towards a freer and enhanced flow of goods, services, investment, and technology within the Indian Ocean rim.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT:

• The Maldives has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Covid-19 assistance and vaccines delivered by India among India’s all neighbouring countries. The Maldives was the first beneficiary of India’s Vaccine Maitri initiative.
• When the world supply chains were blocked because of the pandemic, India continued to provide crucial commodities to the Maldives under Mission SAGAR.

ECONOMIC COOPERATION:

• Tourism is the mainstay of the Maldives’ economy. The country is a major tourist destination for some Indians and a job destination for others.
• In August 2021 India signed a contract for the largest-ever infrastructure project in Maldives which is the Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP).
• Under the bilateral agreement, India provides essential food items like rice, wheat flour, sugar, dal, onion, potato, and eggs and construction material such as sand and stone aggregates to the Maldives on favourable terms.
• Blue Economy as defined by World Bank is the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem. The Maldives can play a significant role in India’s Vision of New India by 2030 as the Maldives also aims to achieve a more sustainable development model by making better use of its ocean resources.

DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME:

India has helped the Maldives in many diverse areas to bolster the development of the Maldives e.g.

• Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Maldives Institute of Technical Education (now called the Maldives Polytechnic),
• India-Maldives Faculty of Hospitality & Tourism Studies,
• Technology Adoption Programme in Education Sector in the Maldives,
• a port on Gulhifalhu,
• airport redevelopment at Hanimaadhooand a hospital and a cricket stadium in Hulhumale etc.
• Under the Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP) project, a 6.74 km long bridge and causeway link will be built to connect the capital city Male with adjoining islands of Villingli, Gulhifalhu, and Thilafushi.

DIASPORA:

• There is a significant Indian diaspora in the Maldives. Innumerable Indians work across the hospitality, education, and healthcare sectors of the Maldives economy.

IMPORTANCE OF INDIA FOR MALDIVES

FOOD SECURITY: Maldive’s food security depends a lot on imports from India. Food articles such as rice, flour, sugar, chicken, eggs, potatoes, onions, and lentils as among the basic foodstuffs consumed by Maldivians in substantial quantities and supplied by India.

INFRASTRUCTURE: Sand and gravel for construction are also supplied by India.

TOURISM: India is also a major source of the tourism sector for the Maldives, the nation’s economic mainstay.

HEALTH AND EDUCATION: India is also a preferred destination for Maldivians for education, medical treatment, recreation, and business. According to MEA more Maldivians are seeking long-term visas for pursuing higher studies/medical treatment in India.

CURRENT CHALLENGES IN INDIA-MALDIVES RELATION

CHINA’S STRATEGIC FOOTPRINT IN INDIA’S NEIGHBOURHOOD: The Maldives has emerged as an important ‘pearl’ in China’s “String of Pearls” construct in South Asia. Given the uncertain dynamics of Sino-Indian relations, China’s strategic presence in the Maldives remains a concern. Also, the Maldives have started using the China card to bargain with India.

POLITICAL INSTABILITY: India’s major concern has been the impact of political instability in the neighbourhood on its security and development. The consequent political crisis and the “India Out” Campaign have posed a real diplomatic test for India’s neighbourhood policy.

RADICALISATION: Radicalisation is not a new challenge that the Maldives has been tackling, but the bomb attack on former president Mohamed Nasheed in May 2021 has put the issue into sharper focus and has become a pressing concern. The attack clearly indicates that radical groups are actively advancing their position in the Maldives. Radical ideology has strengthened itself in the Maldives and has, in the recent past, been assisted by state institutions.

UTHURU THILA FALHU (UTF) HARBOUR PROJECT: UTF Agreement was signed between India and the Maldives in February 2021. The speculation that the project would be turned into a naval base by India has also been a reason for internal political instability in the Maldives. However, the agreement was to develop a dockyard for Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and operate a Dornier aircraft for surveillance.

THE WAY FORWARD

• Mobilising ordinary citizens through the ‘India Out’ campaign is a cause for concern for India. India has to work on perception management in the Maldives.
• The potential for both countries to work together on adaptive and mitigating measures against the adverse maritime impacts of climate change is enormous. This potential must be realised through imaginative foreign policy and maritime security initiatives.
• The ‘India-First Policy’ of the Maldives and India’s ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’ are intuitively complementary, implementing these policies with cultural, geo-economics, and geostrategic sensitivity is imperative for both nations.
• India and Maldives have not yet signed a Free Trade Agreement. To reap the benefits of continued efforts in the economic cooperation and infrastructure developmental projects India should think of having an FTA with the Maldives. (Maldives have FTA with China).
• India-Maldives defense cooperation shall be enhanced to monitor Chinese maritime and naval movements along vital sea lanes of communication that run alongside the Maldives.
• Encourage the Indian private sector to deepen its engagement in the Maldivian economy.
• Countries complain that India doesn’t deliver on projects and they tend to make comparisons with China. Delivering projects on time would help India in mitigating some concerns that may exist in the Maldives.

 THE CONCLUSION: While India-Maldives relations have always been close, cordial, and multi-dimensional, recent regime instability in the Maldives has posed some limitations, especially in the political & strategic arena. Therefore, the main challenge to India’s diplomacy is balancing out all these contradictions into harmonious relations.

MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION:

1. “Recent India-First Policy of the Maldives and India’s Neighborhood First Policy are intuitively complementary”. In the light of recent agreements signed between India and Maldives discuss the strategic importance of the Maldives to India.
2. “India’s Vision of New India by 2030 and Maldives aims to achieve a more sustainable development model by making better use of its ocean resources are complementary to each other. “Elaborate in the context of the Blue Economy.

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