Maldives: After Troop Removal Request, 'Pro-China' Muizzu Government Moves To End Bilateral Pact With India On Water Survey

Barely a month after urging India to withdraw its military personnel from the Maldives, President Mohamed Muizzu's government has taken a step further, deciding not to renew the hydrographic survey agreement with India.

The accord, signed on 8 June 2019, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit, permitted India to conduct a hydrographic survey of Maldivian territorial waters, studying and charting reefs, lagoons, coastlines, ocean currents, and tide levels.

The move marks the first bilateral pact terminated by the newly-elected Maldives government, which came to power in November after a 'India Out' campaign.

At a press conference, Mohamed Firuzul Abdul Khaleel, Under Secretary for Public Policy at the Maldives President’s Office, announced the decision not to renew the hydrography agreement, set to expire on 7 June 2024, reported Indian Express.

Earlier, the Maldives government had opted out of a significant Indian Ocean security gathering convened in Mauritius.

The grouping comprises of India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and the Maldives. However, Maldives, which is one of the founding member of the conclave, skipped the meeting.

Similarly, President Muizzu had previously announced that the Indian government had agreed to withdraw its soldiers as requested by the Maldives.

The Maldives currently has two helicopters and an aircraft provided by India for emergency medical evacuations and disaster relief operations.

However, discussions on operational aspects of Indian helicopters and aircraft in the Maldives are ongoing.

The decision to terminate the hydrography agreement adds another layer of strain to bilateral relations, as Muizzu continues to reshape the Maldives' foreign policy with a promise to move away from the 'India First' stance.