India–Maldives Relations

From “India Out” to “Welcome India,” relations between the Maldives and India seem to have come full circle. The Muizzu administration is adopting a cautious approach, seeking concessions from New Delhi while simultaneously strengthening ties with Beijing. This article explores the depth of India–Maldives relations and evaluates the factors that have led to the diplomatic flip-flops between the two countries. While the Modi administration has made concerted efforts to enhance its engagement with the Maldives, it is still debatable whether India can match China’s “chequebook diplomacy” and if the Maldives would eventually support India’s broader foreign policy objectives and security concerns. Indeed, the larger concern for India is that the “Muizzu template” could now be well adopted by countries of South Asia and the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)

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