2024-03-18 19:07:39
Male: After the arrival of pro-China Muizzu, China has started its nefarious activities in the Indian Ocean. Under an agreement signed with Maldives, China is going to provide free military assistance to the island nation. After the order to remove Indian naval forces from Maldives and the Chinese ship anchoring in Male, this agreement is undoubtedly going to provoke India. Domestic Politics of Maldives Apart from anti-India sentiment, these developments are an indication to New Delhi that China is increasing its security focus in the Indian Ocean, which will increase military pressure in the region. New Delhi’s policy may be to join any grouping. It may not be, but China sees India as a Western bloc led by America, due to which Beijing considers it very important for itself to counter the regional and global influence of New Delhi. This is China’s policy of cornering New Delhi, under which it has at different times supported anti-India leaders in India’s immediate South Asian neighbors like Sri Lanka Rajapaksa and Abdulla Yameen and Mohammed Muizzu in Maldives.
China is increasing its hold in India’s supporting countries
China has not only supported anti-India leaders, but over time, Beijing has also shown flexibility in reaching out to India-leaning leadership in South Asia. The support of Sheikh Hasina led Awami League in Bangladesh is part of this diplomacy of Beijing. After the COVID-19 pandemic, India-China strategic competition in the Indian Ocean region has entered a new phase. China has expanded the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). However, due to the current economic crisis and pressure from the West on many issues, constraints on China’s diplomacy are increasing.
India also learned from past mistakes
To counter China, India has also learned from its past mistakes and has made its policy of reaching out to neighboring leaders more balanced. Along with this, New Delhi has adopted a more restrained attitude in dealing with possible crises. For example, when Maldives’ newly elected President Mohammed Muizzu sought to send back Indian marines operating helicopters and ships for search and rescue purposes, India did not reject it. However, New Delhi insisted on appointing civilian personnel in their place. This reflects India’s view that it is prepared to take both a patient and aggressive approach to compete with China.
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India is responding to China’s pressure
India has put pressure on China by promoting its security involvement in the Indian Ocean region. , Along with the security sector, India is also helping in development projects. While China has increased its reach in Maldives, India is busy building infrastructure to improve maritime and air connectivity in Mauritius. The newly constructed airstrip and jetty at Agalega Island in Mauritius with Indian collaboration were inaugurated by the Prime Ministers of the two countries in late February. Apart from the airstrip, several community development projects have been inaugurated in Mauritius. It is also widely accepted that India’s security presence protects the economic and other security interests of Mauritius. In the Maldives, India has continued to engage with the Muizzu government for capacity building and other cooperation, while also increasing its development assistance.
Difference in help between China and India
If anyone argues that India’s development projects are aimed at responding to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, it is a misunderstanding of India’s position. India’s foreign policy in its neighborhood has always been to support its neighbors in their development objectives. Take the example of Sri Lanka’s latest economic crisis. India quickly provided assistance worth more than $4 billion, which was more than the International Monetary Fund’s $3 billion bailout package. On the contrary, China, which has shown itself to be a friend of Sri Lanka, ignored Colombo’s request for debt restructuring and with great difficulty agreed only temporarily, while India was ready for it from the beginning.