Maldives Expels Indian Troops and Signs Military Agreement with China... Resort Area Turns into Conflict Zone

Agreement Signed One Month After Indian Troop Withdrawal Decision
Opposition to India's Strengthening of 'Hindutva'
Chinese Base in US-India Joint Training Waters

On the 4th, officials from the Maldives and the Chinese Ministry of National Defense signed a defense agreement between the two countries and took a commemorative photo. [Image source=Maldives Ministry of National Defense]

The Maldives, a world-renowned resort and one of the key strategic points on the Indian Ocean route, has heightened military tensions across Southeast Asia by signing a military agreement with China. Less than a month after the Indian military stationed in the Maldives declared its withdrawal, the Maldives signed a military agreement with China. India, which is already engaged in border disputes with China around the Himalayas, now faces the dangerous situation of the Chinese navy being stationed in the Indian Ocean right at its doorstep. This development is expected to significantly impact the U.S. Asia strategy, which has regularly conducted joint exercises in the Indian Ocean and launched the military alliance 'Quad' with India, Japan, and Australia to counter China.

Military Agreement with China Signed One Month After Indian Troop Withdrawal Announcement

On January 10th, Mohamed Muizzu, President of the Maldives, and his spouse, along with Xi Jinping, President of China, and his spouse, took a commemorative photo during their visit to China. [Image source=Maldives Ministry of Defense]

On the 4th (local time), the Maldives Ministry of Defense announced via social media that "China has signed a military agreement to provide free military support to the Maldives." According to the Maldives Ministry of Defense, Major General Zhang Baokun, Deputy Director of the International Military Cooperation Office of the Chinese Ministry of Defense, and Mohamed Gassan Maumoon, Maldives Minister of Defense, signed the agreement.

This military agreement was signed less than a month after the Indian government announced on the 8th of last month that it would withdraw all 75 Indian troops stationed in the Maldives at the request of the Maldivian government, drawing international attention. Since the inauguration of pro-China politician Mohamed Muizzu as president in November last year, the Maldives has been strengthening its military ties with China.

On January 10th, President Muizzu chose China, not India, as his first overseas visit destination after taking office, raising concerns about the growing military closeness between the two countries. Subsequently, on January 14th, during a high-level meeting between the Maldives and India, the Maldives government officially conveyed its withdrawal request to India.

It is also expected that the Chinese military may establish a long-term presence in the Maldives under the pretext of providing free military support and training to the Maldivian forces, and may sign agreements for the use of naval bases. India, already embroiled in border disputes with China in the Himalayas, is likely to face significant military pressure.

Islamic Maldives Opposes India's 'Hindu Nationalism'

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

The Maldives, which has experienced significant shifts in foreign policy due to alternating pro-India and pro-China governments, has recently distanced itself from India as the Narendra Modi administration in India has launched offensives against Islamic groups within its borders under the banner of 'Hindu nationalism.'

The Maldives opposes India's Hindu nationalism because it is a representative Islamic country in Southeast Asia, with the majority of its population being Muslim. The Maldives is an island nation composed of about 400,000 people and over 1,200 islands, where Islam has been established since the 14th century, and currently, 99% of the population adheres to Islam.

Analysts also suggest that disputes between the two countries are intensifying over tourism in the Indian Ocean region. Indian local media News18 pointed out, "The Maldives depends on tourism for 20% of its GDP and 79% of its overall economy, but recently, the Indian government has been developing and promoting tourist destinations along nearby coastal areas, creating a competitive situation. More than 11% of all tourists to the Maldives are either Indian or transit through India, so worsening relations between the two countries could lead to a decline in Maldivian tourism."

U.S.-India Joint Training Waters Open to China... Intensifying Indian Ocean Hegemony Dispute

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

There are concerns that the Maldives will become a frontline battleground in the power struggle between the U.S. and China rather than just a resort destination. The southern Indian Ocean region where the Maldives is located is a crucial maritime trade route connecting East Asia with Europe and the Middle East, and it faces the Indian mainland directly. In particular, if China builds or gains usage rights for a naval base in the Maldives, it could disrupt the 'Quad' joint military exercises planned by the U.S., India, Japan, and Australia as a military cooperation framework to counter China in the Indian Ocean region.

The Indian and U.S. governments are concerned that China might follow the Sri Lanka model by first providing economic and military support to the Maldives and then using loan repayment as a pretext to obtain operational rights for port facilities. Previously, the Sri Lankan government, burdened by massive loans from China's Belt and Road Initiative, was unable to repay them and consequently handed over operational rights of the strategically important Hambantota Port to China for 99 years.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.