Campaigning in the Maldives’ fourth multi-party parliamentary elections has entered the final stretch. Voting will take place on April 21. The fracturing of the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) and the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), and the fraying of old loyalties, have thrown traditional voter allegiances into question, injecting unpredictability into the contest. In … Read more
President Mohamed Muizzu took office in the Maldives in November 2023. Muizzu is a pro-China, anti-India president who has promoted an “India Out” policy, calling for the withdrawal of Indian troops who had been stationed in the Maldives. He also allowed a Chinese military research vessel (which the Indian media referred to as a “spy … Read more
Under a new defense cooperation agreement with the Maldives, China is set to offer free military assistance to the island nation. Coming soon after the presidential order to remove Indian naval personnel from the Maldives and after a so-called Chinese research vessel visited Malé, the agreement is no doubt a provocation to India. Whatever the … Read more
Recently, the Maldives has garnered significant media attention due to its government’s escalating tensions with India and increasing engagement with China. However, media and pundit speculation about a potential shift in Maldivian foreign policy, moving from an “India First” approach to a more China-leaning stance, has overshadowed an important domestic development: the decision of the Muizzu … Read more
President Mohamed Muizzu of Maldives recently concluded a state visit to China during which he met President Xi Jinping, signed several deals, and saw the China-Maldives relationship upgraded to the level of “comprehensive strategic cooperation.” While the outcomes that Muizzu flew across the Indian Ocean with following his state visit to China are fairly standard, … Read more
New Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu appeared to have a successful visit to China last week. Breaking the tradition of a new Maldivian president making his first trip to India, Muizzu went to Turkey for his first official visit, followed by the United Arab Emirates for the U.N. climate change meeting, COP28. On the sidelines, Muizzu … Read more
President Mohamed Muizzu’s recent visit to China signals a significant shift in the Maldives’ foreign policy, one that is overtly tilted in favor of Beijing. The shift came amidst a visible fraying in India-Maldives relations in recent weeks. In China, Muizzu expressed strong commitment to enhancing bilateral ties with Beijing. In addition to declaring that … Read more
The already troubled India-Maldives relationship is under fresh strain following a spat over disparaging remarks made by Maldivian ministers about India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media. Although the Maldivian government under newly elected President Mohamed Muizzu was swift in distancing itself from the offensive remarks — its Foreign Ministry issued a statement … Read more
2023 has been an eventful year for South Asia. Many leaders in the region were gearing up for elections this year or next, leading to a flurry of campaigns and electoral activities. Amidst these political developments, the region continued to face challenges ranging from economic and political instability to humanitarian crises. A standout development has … Read more
A widening political rift between former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and President Mohamed Muizzu, who assumed office on November 17, is casting new uncertainties over the Maldives’ political direction. This rift intensified on November 24 when Yameen exited the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), a party historically linked to him that is presently in … Read more