Delhi-Malé ties are shaped by geography and mutual trust

Hindustan Times

24-07-2025

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi is on his first State visit to the Maldives, at a time when Mohamed Muizzu is the president of the island-nation. This trip comes at a pivotal moment for India-Maldives relations. This is more than a ceremonial visit. It presents an opportunity to recalibrate a relationship that is as old as our shared seas and as vital as ever for the future of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The complex duality of the Maldives also needs to be appreciated: A small State with considerable diplomatic significance; a society deeply proud of its sovereignty, yet deeply reliant on its partnerships; a country with vibrant political debates that can sometimes distort its long-term strategic interests. Amid these realities, one constant has been India's quiet, consistent, and committed support.
India and the Maldives share a civilisational connection dating back centuries. Barely 45 minutes by air, our maritime linkages brought trade, language, culture, and religion across the Indian Ocean. These deep-rooted people-to-people ties were echoed by PM Narendra Modi during his 2019 address to the Maldivian parliament: 'Relations between India and Maldives are older than history... the waves of the vast seas connecting us have been the messengers of friendship between our peoples.' This enduring closeness has in the past decades translated into strategic cooperation. India's swift military intervention during the 1988 coup attempt-Operation Cactus-remains a landmark of regional security cooperation. Similarly, whether during the 2004 tsunami or the 2014 Malé water crisis, India has consistently acted as the Maldives' first responder in times of need.
This solidarity was reaffirmed during the Covid-19 pandemic. India's Vaccine Maitri initiative provided 200,000 vaccine doses to the Maldives early in the global rollout. Under Operation Sanjeevani, India delivered 6.2 tonnes of medical supplies, including essential medicines and protective equipment, when supply chains were disrupted worldwide. Such gestures were were diplomatic signals of trust. As then Maldives foreign minister Abdulla Shahid said: 'India has always been a friend in need... be it a terrorist coup attempt, natural disasters, or a pandemic.' This sentiment is echoed in India's broader development support, which includes budgetary assistance, infrastructure grants, and concessional financing under a $1.4 billion package announced in 2018.
India's development footprint in the Maldives is grounded in transparency, sustainability, and capacity-building. The Greater Malé Connectivity Project (GMCP), financed by India, is set to be the largest infrastructure initiative in Maldivian history. It will connect Malé to Villingili, Gulhifalhu, and Thilafushi via bridges and causeways, transforming urban connectivity and spurring economic growth. In contrast to opaque lending practices seen elsewhere, Indian projects are delivered with local employment, knowledge transfer, and no hidden clauses. These are not just economic assets – they are investments in trust.
Yet, the bilateral relationship has not been without turbulence. In recent years, Maldivian domestic politics have, at times, instrumentalised India relations for electoral gain. The 'India Out' campaign in 2023 generated unfortunate misperceptions and clouded bilateral understanding. However, the return to diplomatic pragmatism under President Muizzu has been a welcome correction. His outreach to India, and India's reciprocal gestures, including substantial expansion of financial and budgetary support in 2024 and again in 2025, reflect a mutual desire to steer the relationship away from reactive posturing. Muizzu recently said, 'India is a key partner in the socio-economic and infrastructure development of the Maldives. Our friendship is based on mutual respect and shared history. These words must now be translated into policies that endure beyond political cycles.
Both sides must accept that occasional political noise cannot be allowed to distort a foundational relationship. The Maldives must approach India not through the lens of transient coalitions, but as a long-term partner in development and security. India's speedy completion of 18 diverse projects since 2019 under cash grant has broadly gone unnoticed. From streetlights in cities to gyms in 67 islands to completion of water and sanitation on 34 islands India has touched every citizen's life in several ways. A better system of dissemination of such cooperation may help promote further goodwill between the two countries. On the other projects, India must materialise its commitments with speed and transparency. Delays or miscommunications undermine public perception.
Joint working groups, annual high-level reviews, and a revived security and maritime dialogue can ensure continuity regardless of political change. In 2024, during Muizzu's visit to India, a vision document on 'comprehensive economic and security partnership' was adopted. This was followed up with two meetings of the high-level core group (HLCG) — a welcome development.
The Maldives is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world. India must lead regional cooperation in disaster risk reduction, renewable energy, and coastal resilience. Green diplomacy can be a new pillar of the partnership. The Maldives has supported India in multiple international forums, including during India's candidatures at the UN. That solidarity must be reciprocated. India should advocate for small island states within global platforms like the G20 and the International Solar Alliance. Limitless opportunities of structured partnership in areas like anti-piracy, fight against trafficking, narcotics and terrorism, and disaster management can make this a model relationship working in regional and global interest.
India-Maldives ties are defined not just by geography, but by trust built over decades. This relationship must now be shielded from the volatility of headlines, electoral calculations, or external provocations. The stakes are too high not only for bilateral growth but for the larger stability of the IOR. PM Modi's visit is an occasion for both nations to reaffirm their strategic clarity. Governments may change, but geography does not. Nor does history. India and the Maldives must act like the long-term partners they already are — and like the future partners the region needs them to be.
Dnyaneshwar Mulay is India's former envoy to the Maldives. The views expressed are personal.