The Maldives today asked India to take a lead in developing clean and green energy-based development for tackling climate change and to "save" island nations like it from its affects.
"As India joins the club of world's most powerful nations, it has a greater responsibility. It should develop (itself) as clean power-house of the world," the Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed said here, addressing the 'World Conference on Recreating South Asia'.
The rising sea level due to climate change has threatened the existence of several island nations including the Maldives.
Pledging his country's support to India, Nasheed said, "I am asking India to lead in showing that there is no contradiction in development and survival of my country."
Appreciating the Indian National Solar Mission, Nasheed said renewable and green energy sectors were creating a new industrial revolution and "if India leads the world in this area, it will lead the world economy for the next 100 years."
Praising India's leadership at the Cancun climate change summit, he said the country's stand on major global issues were supported by the world.
He said ignoring climate change is morally wrong and his country was aiming to become carbon-neutral by the year 2020.
Crediting India for the rise of South Asia on the global map, Nasheed said economic reforms by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have placed India on an irreversible path to super power status in new multipolar world.
"Nobody could have expected (India) to not only be equal partners with its past colonial masters, direct the course of discussion and insist on chapatis rather than breadrolls," he added.
The Maldives President said his country had a lot to learn from India's "liberal democracy, economic freedom, strong social safety as these are three fundamental requisites of a country."
On the prevailing situation in the Middle east, Nasheed called for withdrawing support to the "dictatorial regimes" in the region and support establishment of democracy there.
"Democracy is only long term guarantor of peace and prosperity and it is in our interest to support democracy in middle east or whether closer to home in Burma," he added.
Advocating a similar "political instability" in Saudi Arabia, he said, "There should be political instability in Saudi Arabia as if we don't get off the fossil fuel blackmail, my country will spend USD one billion for oil needs."
