Dynamics in India-Maldives relations: The influence of China
Mohamed Muizzu, the newly elected president of the Maldives, seems to be pivoting away from India and moving closer to other sources of support, such as the Arab countries and China. With a wary eye on China's ambitions in the Indian Ocean, India is expected to push back strongly.
“We may be small, but that doesn’t give you the license to bully us.”
This was the jibe taken at India by Mohamed Muizzu, the newly elected president of the Maldives, who has brought Male’s ties with New Delhi down to its lowest point. In a geopolitical landscape where the Maldives has traditionally acknowledged India as a longstanding ally and a development partner, the recent statement reflects strong ripples in bilateral ties.
In the past, other smaller countries in India’s periphery, including Nepal