The Maldives government's Chief Spokesperson, Mohamed Hussain Shareef (Mundhu), has indirectly accused India of attempting to exert influence over the Maldives.
Speaking on a program by Nukutha, Shareef said that the administration of former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih acted irresponsibly by "falling into the lap" of a foreign nation to achieve certain objectives. Indirectly identifying that nation as India, Shareef described the previous government's actions as deeply damaging to the country.
"During Solih’s presidency, very irresponsible actions were taken. Whether it was to secure funds or with the intent of insulating their own political future, they went and fell into the lap of a specific party. Getting that close to a specific party is very dangerous. As the saying goes, the reins must always remain in your own hands," Shareef said during the program.
While criticizing the Solih administration, Shareef noted that India itself cannot be blamed for the situation, as every nation acts out of self-interest and seeks to expand its own influence.
He remarked that if the Maldives were a larger power, it would likely act in the same manner, seeking to strengthen its own influence across various spheres.
"This doesn't mean we can blame India or any other party. Everyone enters this arena out of self-interest. Right. They will want to increase their influence. Look, if we were of that size, we would probably do the same. We would also want to strengthen our influence, wouldn't we?" Shareef said, referring to India.
Shareef further argued that a nation is first subjugated through economic means. He pointed out that some countries in the region rely on foreign powers for basic necessities such as drinking water and electricity. He suggested that by allowing another nation to tighten its grip while the domestic government let go of the "rope," those countries have now found themselves entangled.
"Subjugation starts economically. For example, if the food and drink we consume are provided by them, then we have fallen under their control. There are countries—let’s not name them—in our region where people depend on another country for their drinking water. Their household electricity depends on another country," Shareef said.
"Let’s not say names. Without realizing it at this level, they kept letting go of the rope bit by bit. As much as one side lets go, the other side will pull. Eventually, the rope is wound firmly around their hands."
While the Muizzu administration continues to seek assistance from India, the President came to power on a pledge to expel the Indian military. However, due to the high level of dependence on India, that promise remains unfulfilled in its entirety.
