Maldives recognizes India relation as ‘steady force’ amid ‘choppy waters’: Dr. Jaishankar

The Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar has said that the relation with the Maldives has seen ups and downs, but the island nation recognizes India as a steady ally.

He said this during the launching of Indian writer Rajeev Shankry’s book on foreign policies. Shankry’s book provides insight into India’s relations with its neighbors.

While speaking about Shankry’s take on the India-Maldives relationship in the book, Dr. Jaishankar said that the two countries had observed ups and downs in their relationship over the years.

“Where Maldives is concerned, again, we’ve had ups and downs… ups and downs not just in the nature of the regime. There’ve been ups and downs in our own approach to Maldives,” said Dr. Jaishankar.

In this regard the Indian External Affairs Minister said that while India had played an active role during the 1988 attempted coup d'état in assisting the Maldives and fending off the foreign insurgents, it had been impassive in 2012 when there was a change of government.

“So, you can see, that there is a certain lack of consistency here,” Dr. Jaishanker said, highlighting the nature of the relation between the two allies over the years.

“But I would say that, a relationship in which we are very deeply invested in there is today a recognition in Maldives, certainly I saw that in my recent visit, that this relationship is a steady force as they get into choppy waters where their own prospects are concerned, especially in terms of the economic challenges.”

He further noted that there will always be ups and downs in the relationship between neighboring countries, depending on the time and context and other factors.

“It is important for both the countries to make sure that these ups and downs do not become a reason for concern, for the two countries’ security and national interest,” he added.

Jaishankar also said that in the case of its relation with the Maldives, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu also recognizes that “there is no getting away from India.”

“Inter-dependence is in the best interest of both the countries, and we must work to promote it.

He also said that maintaining consistent healthy relations with its neighbors is a challenging task for every country.

“In every country of the world, neighbors are always a conundrum because neighboring relations are the most difficult and can never solved.”

“Tell me which country is there that doesn’t have challenges with neighbors. It is the very nature of being a neighbor,” Jaishankar said, calling out to critics of India’s neighborhood first policy.