India-Maldives Relation: Mohammad Muizzu has been continuously showing loyalty to China since becoming the President of Maldives, on the other hand China is continuously burdening Maldives with debt. As soon as he came to power, Muizzu started distancing himself from his decades-old friend India, on which America also expressed concern. Maldives is strategically very important in the Indian Ocean, but the friendship between Beijing and Male seems to be benefiting only China. Earlier, during the time of Maldives President Abdullah Yameen, Maldives had also come under the greed of China, but now it is completely burdened with Chinese debt.
Maldives became a part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative project in the year 2024, since then Maldives has taken a loan of 1.4 billion dollars from Chinese banks. That is, Maldives has taken 20 percent of its total loan from China only. In this way, Maldives is now being forced to obey everything China says. That is why now Chinese spy ships are coming and stopping at the ports of Maldives. Recently, the Chinese spy ship has come to the port of Maldives twice.
China-Maldives are making military agreements
Maldives is strategically important for China, because 80 percent of China’s oil comes through the sea route through which Maldives is located. Because Maldives is on the busiest sea route of the Indian Ocean. That is why China is continuously strengthening friendship with Maldives. Analysts believe that China is making military agreements with Muizzu for this reason.
India will give relief in loan payment
During the elections held in the year 2023, Mohammed Muizzu was successful in capturing the chair of Maldives with the ‘India Out’ campaign. As soon as he came to power in Maldives, he talked about expelling Indian soldiers from Maldives. By May 9, all the Indian soldiers returned from Maldives to India, but now Maldives is also feeling the pressure of being burdened by China’s debt. Because recently China had refused to give facility to Maldives in loan repayment. On the other hand, Maldivian Foreign Minister Musa Zameer, who was visiting India, had appealed for relief in loan repayment, which was accepted by India.
