New Delhi: Amidst escalating tensions over the presence of Indian troops in the Maldives and the country's shifting geopolitical allegiances towards China, India has intensified its development assistance to its island neighbor. Despite recent strains in bilateral relations, India has nearly doubled its budgeted expenditure on projects in the Maldives during the current fiscal year, reaching approximately 771 crore rupees compared to the allocated 400 crore rupees.
According to a central official and government documents, India remains committed to its development cooperation with the Maldives, despite the demands by President Mohamed Muizzu for Indian troops to leave the country. The increased pace of project implementation has been attributed to India's augmented allocations for the Maldives in the current fiscal year.
Although President Muizzu has recently pivoted towards China, with a state visit to Beijing last month, India continues to engage with the Maldives through various development projects. These projects include investments in road and bridge infrastructure around the capital city of Male, as well as the construction of two airports in remote islands of the archipelago, supported by a line of credit from India.
While India and the Maldives have agreed to replace Indian troops by May, India's commitment to providing humanitarian aid and medical evacuations using its aircraft remains unchanged. The significant increase in India's financial assistance to the Maldives underscores its commitment to fostering socio-economic development in the region.
However, concerns have been raised over Male's growing engagement with Beijing, particularly evident in its decision to allow a Chinese research vessel to dock at its port. India views the presence of extra-regional powers, particularly China, as a potential threat to security in the Indian Ocean region.
Despite these challenges, India remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting the Maldives' development aspirations and maintaining its strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific region.
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