A digest of news and opinion from the Maldives.
Self-exiled former president Mohamed Nasheed on Monday aimed a fresh dig at growing Chinese influence in the Maldives, accusing the global superpower of land grab in the archipelago. Speaking to reporters in neighbouring Sri Lanka, Nasheed who was convicted of contentious terrorism charges reiterated that China’s growing influence in the Maldives threatens the peace and […]
By Dr. S. Chandrasekharan Of the twelve agreements signed with China, during the recent visit of President Yameen to China, the Free trade agreement signed between them is the most important one. Surprisingly, the agreement that runs into a few hundred pages was passed in an attenuated parliament when the opposition was not present and […]
President Abdulla Yameen’s pro-India statements came after reports that there were doubts in New Delhi on Maldives’ decision to sign an FTA with China. New Delhi: While Maldives President Abdulla Yameen described India as the island country’s “closest friend and ally” and asked the media to refrain from criticising the South Asian giant, he also […]
All grilled: Sushma Swaraj, M.J. Akbar and S. Jaishankar attended the meeting on December 21. NEW DELHI: Despite the recent Maldives-China Free Trade Agreement and moves by the Yameen government favouring Chinese investment, the Modi government says it remains firmly committed to its “Neighbours First” policy and has bolstered defence cooperation with Male in the […]
Last week, Maldives rushed through the much-criticised Free Trade Agreement with China in the Parliament, a move which is being perceived in New Delhi as Male cosying up to Beijing. This is also Maldives’s first FTA with any country. Now that the agreement has been signed between China and Maldives, India on Thursday said it expected […]
Hong Kong [China], Dec 19 : President Abdulla Yameen’s rush to sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China during his recent visit to Beijing without following constitutional/legal norms has generated considerable anti-China sentiment in the Maldives. The lopsided nature of the FTA, loaded as it is heavily in favour of the Chinese, would adversely […]
After the Maldives signed a free trade agreement (FTA) with China in a surprise move, India on Thursday broke its silence on the matter saying that it expected the Indian Ocean archipelago nation to be sensitive to New Delhi’s concerns. Stating that India attached the highest importance to its relations with the Maldives, External Affairs […]
The most significant development during the recent visit of Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom to China was the signing of a Free Trade Agreement between the two nations. Though this development does not give any special strategic advantage to China in the immediate future, it reinforces the theory that Maldives is on its […]
A landmark China-Maldives free trade agreement signed last week will help pave the way for the “revolutionary development”, President Abdulla Yameen said Tuesday night. In his first public remarks on the controversial FTA, Yameen urged the public to work with his administration to achieve development goals and complete flagship projects. “As a result of the […]