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INDIA-MALDIVES , Mauritius & Seychelles …
INDIA-MALDIVES , Mauritius & Seychelles 
by Atrishekhar sir
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Areas of cooperation
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Humanitarian assistance - 2004 tsunami, operation NEER
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The project will connect the Maldives’ capital Male with three islands: Villingili, Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi.
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• High Impact Community Development Projects Scheme which include Maldives Institute of Technical Education, Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital etc
• To help the Maldives cope with the economic slowdown post-COVID-19 pandemic; India committed a 500 million US Dollar package. The package includes air, sea, intra-island and telecommunications.
• Medical Tourism, cultural exchange, Type II diplomacy etc.
• Geostrategic Positioning of Maldives forms a major component of India’s Neighbourhood First policy and
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Operation Cactus' of 1988 when India helped Maldives overcome a coup d'état to providing vaccines and medicines during the Covid pandemic, New Delhi has proven to be a “time-tested” partner of Malé, according to their Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid.
Maldives became a member of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) even as the then new government there came to power on the promise of ‘India First’ policy.
Challenges
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Radicalisation: Over the past ten years or more, more Maldivians have become attracted to terrorist
• Previous political turmoil was a major relationship stressor which includes the “India Out” Campaign.
• China’s strategic presence has grown in the area surrounding India. A significant “pearl” in China’s “Stringof Pearls” strategy in South Asia has emerged as the Maldives.
There are speculations that China may be attempting to establish strategic outposts in the archipelago due to its strategic location in the Indian Ocean
• Concerns of expatriate workers, particularly the unskilled ones, in Maldives.
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BACKGROUND
Except for a brief period between February 2012 to November 2018 (when there was pro-China government in Maldives),relations have been close, cordial and multi-dimensional.
The Maldives has a history intertwined with India, including conquest by Rajaraja Chola’s Chola dynasty (Maldives’ northern atolls). It became a British colony and gained independence in 1965, leading to political unrest.
Joint Exercises – “Ekuverin”, “Dosti”, “Ekatha” and “Operation Shield” (begun in 2021). India provides the largest number of training opportunities for the Maldivian National Defence Force (MNDF), meeting around 70% of their defence training requirements.
Maldives occupy an important position in India’s vision of ‘SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and ‘Neighbourhood First’.
India is Maldives’ 2nd largest trading partner. Afcons, an Indian company, signed a contract for the Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP)
Hanimaadhoo International Airport Development project under an Indian credit line. National College for Policing and Law Enforcement (NCPLE) was inaugurated by India’s External Affairs Minister (2022)
Grant Assistance Grant assistance of 100 million Rufiyaa (currency of Maldives) for the High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP) scheme.
Development of a sports complex in Gahdhoo, and academic collaboration between Maldives National University and Cochin University of Science and Technology.
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China’s strategic footprint in India’s neighbourhood has increased. The Maldives has emerged as an important ‘pearl’ in China’s “String of Pearls” construct in South Asia. Given the uncertain dynamics of Sino-Indian relations, China’s strategic presence in the Maldives remains a concern.
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Both nations established diplomatic relations after the independence of Maldives from British rule in 1966.
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Since then, India and Maldives have developed close strategic, military, economic and cultural relations.
Maldivians generally regard Indians and India as a friend and trusted neighbor in the field economic, social and political.
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RECENT
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– Letter of Intent for Buyer’s Credit financing of 2,000 social housing units
Maldives is also part of the trilateral dialogue by the National Security Advisor that includes Sri Lanka.
The trilateral arrangement will now soon be joined by Bangladesh and Mauritius. It last met in March 2022.
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India and the Maldives have marked a milestone in their defence ties with the laying of the foundation stone for the Coast Guard ‘Ekatha Harbour’ in the Uthuru Thila Falhu atoll.
Purpose To strengthen the capability of the Maldivian Coast Guard and facilitate regional humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts
Significance The project is among the biggest Indian grant-in-aid projects in the Maldives; a major step in growing defence cooperation between India and Maldives
Other Developments India gifted an additional landing craft to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF);
India had gifted a Dornier aircraft, patrol vessel, and coastal radar system to the Maldives in previous years
Recently, the National College for Policing and Law Enforcement (NCPLE) was inaugurated by India’s External Affairs Minister during his two day visit to Maldives.
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The India-Out Campaign
Controversy Allegations that the project was a cover for Indian military presence in Maldives; led to an “India Out” campaign backed by opposition leader Abdulla Yameen
‘India Out’ campaign in Maldives had started sometime last year as on-ground protests in the Maldives and later widely spread across social media platforms under the same hashtag.
It is not related to people-to-people conflict (Indian diaspora) but is discontent on close relationship between Maldivian government & India.
“India Out” campaign is a call for the removal of the Indian military from the Maldives. “It is not a call to cut off diplomatic & trade relations with India,
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During a heated Presidential elections, he had accused incumbent Ibrahim Solih of allowing India unchecked sway over Maldives’ internal affairs.
He also claimed that the current leader had surrendered the country’s sovereignty by allowing Indian troops to be stationed in the area.
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LATEST-India and the Maldives have made significant strides in their bilateral relations in 2024. Here are some key developments:
Economic and Financial Support: India extended financial assistance to the Maldives, including a bilateral currency swap agreement worth INR 30 billion and USD 400 million
Infrastructure Projects: Both countries are collaborating on several infrastructure projects, such as the Greater Malé Connectivity Project (GMCP) and the development of ports, airports, and housing
Defense and Security Cooperation: India and the Maldives have agreed to enhance their defense and maritime security cooperation. This includes refitting a Maldivian Coast Guard vessel and providing radar systems and other defense platforms
Digital and Financial Cooperation: India is assisting the Maldives in developing its digital infrastructure, including the launch of services like UPI and RuPay to improve e-governance and ease of payments for tourists
Health Cooperation: The two countries are working together to improve healthcare services in the Maldives. This includes establishing Jan Aushadhi Kendras to provide affordable medicines and enhancing emergency medical evacuation capabilities
Political Exchanges: There has been an increase in political exchanges, including among parliamentarians and local government representatives. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed to institutionalize cooperation between the two Parliaments
A memorandum of understanding was signed by the Maldives Police Service and India’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy to enhance cooperation in training and capacity building.
In August 2021, Afcons, an Indian company, signed a contract for the largest-ever infrastructure project in Maldives which is the Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP).
India – Seychelles
Geopolitical
Diplomatic relations were established with Seychelles following its independence in 1976, but the links date back even further.
In 2015, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi first visited Seychelles, the Assumption agreement was signed
Geo economic
The various development assistance programmes extended to Seychelles under ITEC and IAFS are an important aspect of bilateral cooperation. Over 1% of the local population are ITEC alumni, having benefited from various training courses offered through the ITEC programme.
In April 2011, the IT Centre for Excellence, established in Victoria with GOI assistance, was inaugurated at Mont Fleuri, Mahe. Since the early 1980s, credit lines have been extended.
As part of the Pan African e-Network project between India and the African Union, India has been instrumental in establishing communication facilities throughout Seychelles.
India offered a $100 million LoC for buying Indian defence equipment and agreed to construct the new police headquarters, Attorney General’s office, new government office, and send Indian experts on deputation
Geo cultural
The number of people of Indian origin exceeds 10,000, which is significant in a country with a total population of 96,000
Furthermore, there are 11,000 Indian citizens with Gainful Employment Permits, the majority of whom are construction workers, shop assistants, and a few professionals.
Geostrategic Cooperation
In 1986, the Indian navy conducted “Operation Flower are Blooming” to prevent a coup and assist the island in achieving political stability.
The Indian navy has sent maritime surveillance aircraft to Seychelles to monitor the island nation’s Exclusive Economic Zone
Furthermore, Joint Military Exercise Lamitye has been held since 2001.
India and Seychelles are collaborating to meet the island nation’s need for maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and to make the IOR safe for development and trade.
Apart from cooperation in counter-piracy and counter-terrorism on high seas, which is critical for India’s extended maritime security.
Since 2015, India and Seychelles have developed a cooperation agenda that includes joint anti-piracy efforts as well as enhanced EEZ surveillance and monitoring to prevent intrusions by potential economic offenders engaged in illegal fishing, poaching, human trafficking and drug.
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agreements, including cybersecurity, information-sharing and white shipping, were also signed.
India - Mauritius
Geo political
The enduring cultural and people-to-people ties between
India and Mauritius are nurtured by the Indian Cultural Centre in Mauritius (India’s biggest inthe world) and the World Hindi Secretariat, a bilateral organization for the global promotion of
Hindi.
India has traditionally been the ‘first responder’ for Mauritius in times of crisis, including during the recent Covid-19 and Wakashio oil-spill crises medicines and an Indian Rapid Response Medical Team to help combat Covid in April-May
2020.
On Mauritius’ request, India supplied
13 tonnes of medicines (including 0.5 million tablets of HCQ), 10 tonnes of Ayurvedic
Mauritius donated 200 oxygen concentrators to India on April 28, 2021, during the
second wave of Covid-19 in India
ndia was also the first country to supply Covid-19 vaccines to Mauritius, with 1 lakh
doses of Covishield vaccines gifted to Mauritius on 22 January 2021 &1 lakh doses of Covishield and 2 lakh doses of COVAXIN on
commercial basis
In the wake of a massive oil spill following the grounding of the Japanese vessel
Wakashio off the Mauritian coast on July 25, 2020, India was again the first responder
INS Nireekshak joined the Mauritian National Coast
Guard (NCG) in salvaging the Mauritian Tug ‘Sir Gaetan Duval’, which sunk following an accidental collision during the Wakashio salvage operations.
GeoECONOMIC
Since 2005, India has been among the largest trading partners of Mauritius. For the FY
2022-2023, Indian exports to Mauritius was USD 462.69 mn, Mauritian exports to India was USD 91.50 mn and Total trade was USD 554.19 m
Petroleum products have been the largest export item for India between 2007 to 2019 until MRPL supply contract was terminated in mid-2019
Other Indian exports to Mauritius
include pharmaceuticals, cereals, cotton, shrimps, prawns and bovine meat.
Main Mauritian
exports to India are vanilla, medical devices, needles, aluminium alloys, scrap paper, refined copper, men's cotton shirts, etc.
Cumulative FDI worth USD 161 billion came from Mauritius to India in the two
decades from 2000 - 2022 (26% of total FDI inflows into India), thanks largely to the Double Taxation Avoidance Convention (DTAC).
In Mauritius, Indian
companies have invested over USD 200 mn in the last fiveyears.
At present, 11 Indian PSUs
are in Mauritius
Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA):
Mauritius and India signed the CECPA on 22 February 2021
India-assisted Projects
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A MoU on Community Development
Projects was signed in January 2022 to undertake around 100 small, people-oriented projects
Other completed India-assisted projects, include the Upadhyay Training Centre, the
Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital, the Subramania Bharati Eye Centre, the Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre, the Swami Vivekananda International Conference Centre and the World Hindi
Secretariat.
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Mauritius is one of the largest beneficiaries of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme and receives about 400 training slots every year for various courses
Geocultural
The Mahatma Gandhi Institute (MGI) was established in 1976 as a joint venture between India and Mauritius for promoting Indian culture
Rabindranath Tagore Institute (RTI) was established with Indian assistance in 2000 as a Centre of Studies on Indian culture and traditions.
Mauritius also hosts the World Hindi Secretariat, an India-Mauritius bilateral
organization which was constructed with Indian funding and inaugurated during the visit of President Kovind in March 2018.
Under ICCR’s Africa Scholarship Scheme, 65 scholarships slots are extended annually to Mauritian students for higher education in India.
Since 2020, India has
also started offering scholarships to Mauritians under the e-Vidya Bharti Arogya Bharti (e-VBAB) distance learning project, with about 86, 192, 250 and 25 enrollments for the 2020,
2021, 2022 and 2023 sessions respectively
‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, for the very first time in August 2022, the National Cadet Corps (NCC) of India invited a 10-member Mauritian youth delegation to India for a special youth exchange programme
In 1987, India established the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture (IGCIC), which is India’s largest cultural centre abroad. IGCIC holds classes in Hindustani music, Kathak, Tabla and Yoga for over 2,500 Mauritian students every year.
Geostrategic
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The two sides also discussed the Chagos Archipelago dispute, which was an issue of sovereignty and sustainable development before the United Nations (UN).
In 2019, India voted at the UN General Assembly in support of the Mauritian position on the issue. India was one of the 116 countries that voted demanding that the UK end its “colonial administration” from the group of islands.
India’s approach to Mauritius is being increasingly entrenched within a regional framework, as seen with Mission Sagar,
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The Double Tax Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) between India and Mauritius is designed to prevent taxpayers from being taxed twice on the same income. This agreement applies to residents of either country and aims to promote economic cooperation and investment. Recently, on March 7, 2024, a protocol was signed to amend the DTAA, incorporating Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) related anti-abuse provisions, enhancing the agreement's effectiveness.
Background
Indian origin people comprise nearly 70% of the island’s population
of 1.2 million (28% Creole, 3% Sino-Mauritian, 1% Franco-Mauritian).
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Under the French rule, in the year 1729, the first Indians were brought to
Mauritius from the Puducherry region, to work as artisans and masons
British brought about half a million Indian indentured workers were brought to Mauritius between 1834 and the early 1900’s
The first batch of these workers, comprising 36 persons, arrived in Mauritius on November 2,
1834 onboard the ship ‘Atlas’. This day is now observed in Mauritius as ‘Aapravasi Diwas’
India was represented by an Indian Commissioner in British-ruled Mauritius between 1948 and
1968 and thereafter, by a High Commissioner after Mauritius became independent in 1968.