 "Muizzu in Delhi, Maldives panel probes previous govt's pacts with India")
Despite the smiles and handshakes during Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu’s brief visit to India for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in, the ties between the two nations remain strained. The Maldives Parliamentary Committee recently adopted a resolution to scrutinise three agreements signed with India by the previous government, signalling ongoing diplomatic tensions.
According to The Economic Times, the agreements under review include a hydrography agreement, the Uthuru Thila Falhu Dockyard project, and the donation of a Dornier aircraft to the Maldives Defence Forces for humanitarian and search and rescue missions.
The 20th Parliament’s Security Services Committee, also known as the Parliament 241 Committee, passed the resolution, claiming these agreements threaten the sovereignty and independence of the Maldives. The decision to review was proposed by Hithadhoo Central MP Ahmed Azan. These agreements were established during President Solih’s administration.
Hydrographic survey agreement
In December of the previous year, President Muizzu’s administration decided not to renew the hydrographic survey agreement with India, which expired on June 7, 2024.
During Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the Maldives on June 8, 2019, a significant hydrographic survey agreement was signed, allowing India to conduct comprehensive surveys of the Maldives’ territorial waters. This included its reefs, lagoons, coastlines, ocean currents, and tidal levels.
Hydrographic surveys, conducted by ships equipped with tools like sonar, investigate various aspects of water bodies.
According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, these surveys map water depth, seafloor and coastline shapes, potential obstructions, and other physical features, ensuring the safety and efficiency of maritime traffic.
According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, these surveys map water depth, seafloor and coastline shapes, potential obstructions, and other physical features, ensuring the safety and efficiency of maritime traffic.
Moneycontrol reported that the inaugural meeting of the Joint Commission on Hydrography took place in the Maldives in September 2019. Subsequently, in early 2021, Indian Naval Ship (INS) Darshak executed the first joint hydrographic survey. This collaborative effort continued with surveys in 2021, 2022, and 2023, covering 944 square kilometres, including areas not surveyed since 1853. These surveys used multi-beam echo sounders and included tidal measurements for accurate tidal predictions.
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The primary objective was to update Navigational Charts/ Electronic Navigational Charts, benefiting various industries such as tourism, fishing, and agriculture by providing precise and current maritime information.
Uthuru Thila Falhu Dockyard project
In February 2021, India and the Maldives agreed to develop a coastguard harbour and dockyard at the Uthuru Thila Falhu naval base. The agreement was signed by Maldivian Defence Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi and Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, under a defence action plan established in 2016 by then-Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom during his visit to India.
The agreement includes the construction of the harbour and dockyard, along with essential infrastructure development. India is also tasked with enhancing communications resources, radar services, and training support. Despite these developments, the Maldives National Defence Force clarified that no Indian military personnel would be stationed at the base.
A joint statement after the signing noted that the agreement was based on a request from the Government of Maldives in April 2013 for support and cooperation from India to enhance the capability of the Maldives Defence Forces in exercising jurisdiction and undertaking maritime surveillance of its Exclusive Economic Zone and islands.
A joint statement after the signing noted that the agreement was based on a request from the Government of Maldives in April 2013 for support and cooperation from India to enhance the capability of the Maldives Defence Forces in exercising jurisdiction and undertaking maritime surveillance of its Exclusive Economic Zone and islands.
Dornier Maritime Surveillance aircraft
In September 2020, the Maldives received a Dornier Maritime Surveillance aircraft from the Indian Navy, hailed as a ‘colossal milestone’ in the defence ties between the two countries.
The aircraft was intended to assist in maritime and exclusive economic zone (EEZ) surveillance, humanitarian assistance, disaster, and medical relief. It was also meant to help the Maldives in the northern atolls and identify foreign vessels. However, the aircraft currently lies idle in the archipelago, with no trained personnel in the country to operate it.