Maldives and India should maintain strong relations for regional security and stability, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has said.
President Muizzu came to power with a very clear foreign policy. His words and views were to move away from neighbouring India and get closer to China.
During his state visit to India, he met with Maldivians living in Bangalore on Wednesday and said the government is still pursuing the foreign policy announced on the first day.
Since his time in opposition, and even after coming to power, President Muizzu has announced policies to reduce dependence on India. He said he would reduce dependence on India for staple food items and medical treatment. He also repeatedly said that India would not have to guard Maldivian waters.
However, he said at the meeting on Wednesday that "it is in the best interest of our country that the relationship with India remains strong and that things are shaped in such a way as to maintain security and stability in the region."
Neither during the campaign nor after coming to power has he made such a clear statement that the relationship with India and the security of the Indian Ocean region are linked to Maldives' security and safety.
Protecting the Indian Ocean is one of India's most important policies.
The President hailed the visit as successful despite agreeing to continue some matters that he had previously criticized during the former Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) government.
These include the Uthuru Thila Falhu (UTF) project and the establishment of an Indian consulate in Addu city. He also agreed to establish military platforms. All the decisions were laid out in the "vision document."
"This trip is hopefully very successful. I say this because we have achieved our goal for the visit. We have done things for the people and opened the way for things that are important to the people," he said.
President Muizzu changed his tone and said that India is a close ally.
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Muizzu also said "it is a fact" that India was the first to help whenever the Maldives needed help. He also described India as "our closest neighbour."
"So the relationship between the two countries should be strong in shaping things in the most favourable way for our country and our people in various areas, and it always will be, if we proceed under the policy I announced for the sake of the people," he said.
The government also agreed to bring in Indian military platforms and assets, contrary to its promise to stop operating Indian military aircraft and remove Indian troops.
Despite this agreement, he assured that foreign troops would be stationed in the Maldives. The President said that the military agreements signed with India have been decided by the Ministry of Defence after supervision from MNDF.
"The Vision for Comprehensive Partnership on Economic and Maritime Security that we announced during this visit is written down. Every sentence in it has been reviewed by MNDF and approved by the Ministry of Defence. Everything will be in line with our policy," President Muizzu said.
"There will be nothing like in the past, where we leave our affairs to others. We talked about building our own capacity. We will not leave things in the hands of others."
Nothing that disrupts nationalism has been agreed, he said. However, the government agreed to work with India to teach Indian culture at the Maldives National University (MNU).
