World
Representative Image

Changing times, changing circumstances in the Maldives

May 13, 2024

Male [Maldives], May 13: The party that benefits the most is China, so this new development cannot help but be somewhat bitter for India.
The Maldives ' unexpected unification of the islands originated from the results of the recent presidential election on the island nation. As soon as he took office, new President Mohamed Muizzu leaned heavily towards China . He did not intend to balance the relationship between China and India, and even more did not want to be "pro-India, pro-China" like his predecessor. After being requested by Mr. Muizzu, New Delhi had no other choice but to withdraw the above soldiers from the Maldives.
In terms of military, defense and security, no longer having a direct military presence in the Maldives does not pose a significant disadvantage to India. New Delhi has prepared for this scenario by establishing a large naval base just over the Maldives
120 km. But in terms of regional politics and geopolitics, the impact and consequences of changing times in the Maldives are very disastrous for India . China and India have been competing fiercely for influence in this region for decades, and now the changing times in the Maldives have brought about a reversal in that rivalry. In Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan, the India-China rivalry for influence has also persisted for a long time. Beijing's victory in the Maldives reinforces the unfavorable trend for India in its competition for influence with China in India's neighborhood.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper