NEW DELHI: After threatening to send Indian soldiers packing, Maldives has now decided not to renew an agreement with India to conduct hydrographic surveys of its waters.
The Maldivian Undersecretary for Public Policy said on Thursday that the new government led by President Mohamad Muizzu has decided against renewing the hydrography agreement with India that is valid until June 7, 2024. The Maldives government has conveyed this to India, according to reports.
India has so far refrained from making any comments on this.
India had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Maldives on cooperation in the field of hydrography five years ago when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Male.
According to the terms, if one of the signatories wanted to drop the agreement, it had to inform the other country at least six months before it lapsed, else it would get renewed automatically for another five year period.
The Maldivian government, under President Muizzu, wants to do away with what it refers to as 'secret bilateral meetings' signed by the former administration that it feels would endanger the country's independence and sovereignty.
The official said President Muizzu made the decision after consulting his cabinet.
Maldives feels it is in their national interest to use their own army to conduct such surveys and protect sensitive information.
India had been conducting hydrographic surveys of Maldives' territorial waters since the signing of the MoU in 2019. This comprised studying and charting reefs, lagoons, coastlines and ocean currents.
Earlier, President Muizzu, just after being sworn in, had said that he wanted India to withdraw its soldiers from the country. There are 77 Indian soldiers in the Maldives involved in maintenance and operations of one helicopter and two Dornier aircraft. However, since this manpower is required for relief and humanitarian work, the soldiers haven’t returned yet.