 "Airports, education, hospital… How India has been a neighbourhood hero to Maldives")
After a contentious 2024 when ties between the two countries deteriorated, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reached Male in the Maldives for a two-day visit during which he will attend the island country’s 60th Independence Day celebrations as well as inaugurate several India-assisted development projects.
PM Modi’s visit, which follows his UK trip where he signed the crucial India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), comes on the invitation of Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu.
The PM’s trip to the Maldives is being seen as a crucial step toward resetting ties between the two countries, which had come under serious strain after President Mohamed Muizzu — widely viewed as leaning towards China — took office nearly two years ago.
In the past, India and the Maldives have shared a “close and cordial” relationship — External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar earlier was quoted as saying that the Maldives was a “very concrete expression” of India’s neighbourhood first policy.
In fact, India has always been a thoughtful neighbour — it has shown up during natural disasters and Covid-19 pandemic. New Delhi has also assisted the island nation in boosting its infrastructure, connectivity and healthcare, helping Maldivians dream big.
Here’s a look at how India has been constantly putting its weight behind its neighbour.
Airports
India has been one of the Maldives’ largest source of tourism ; until the downturn of relations, over two lakh Indians visited the island nation. But, India has also helped in building tourism-related infrastructure in the Maldives.
For instance, it is involved in projects linked to airports: the Hanimaadhoo International Airport Redevelopment Project and the Gan International Airport Redevelopment Project. India has backed the Hanimaadhoo airport plan, the first-ever project outside the Greater Male Region. It is funded under the $800 million concessional Line of Credit (LoC) extended by the Government of India to the Maldives. The project includes the extension of the runway to 2,200 metres to allow A320s, and Boeing 737s to land, and the upgrade of terminals.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe expansion of the Gan International Airport, which involves the construction of the air traffic control tower and a fire station and upgrading and renewing the current terminal, parking facilities, roads, duty-free shops and restaurants, is funded by India’s Exim Bank, which gives LoC to countries for undertaking India-funded infrastructure projects. A Chennai-based construction and construction material manufacturing company won a $29 million contract to upgrade the airport and the work is expected to be completed by 2025.
Island connectivity project
In August 2022, when then-Maldivian president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was visiting, he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually kick-started the India-funded Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP), dubbed the largest infrastructure initiative in the island nation.
This plan envisions a 6.74 km long bridge and causeway link to connect the capital city Male with the adjoining islands of Villingli, Gulhifalhu, and Thilafushi.
Developing water supply network
India is developing the Water Supply and Sewerage network across 34 islands of the Maldives. The project aims to enhance the water supply and sewerage facilities on the designated islands spanning across 16 atolls. The project is expected to directly benefit 35,000 people who will have access to uninterrupted and safe water supply. The other beneficiaries include numerous others in the atolls/surrounding islands who are affected by water shortages during the dry season. These people will receive timely supplies, according to a report in The Economic Times (ET).
Port development
India is engaged in the development of the Gulhifalhu Port in the Maldives. The outlay of the project is $400 million.
The island nation’s main port in Male has one berth for cargo and is congested. Its handling capacity is stretched. The upcoming port at the nearby Gulhifalhu Island is expected to address this issue, according to a report in ET.
The port will be able to handle a capacity of 400,000 TEUs or 22-foot equivalent unit containers. It will also have a container terminal, general cargo terminal, port service quay, a warehouse, a domestic quay and an administration area, the report says.
The project is scheduled for completion in 2026 and is funded through the LoC facility provided by EXIM Bank.
Education and scholarships
India has also helped the island nation in the field of education. New Delhi helped set up an institute of technical education in 1996. It has also started a programme to provide training to Maldivian teachers and youth and for vocational training in a $5.3 million project.
India has also allotted 10 seats every year to the Maldives under its India Science and Research Fellowship programme.
A cancer hospital
India is building a 100-bed cancer hospital at Hulhumale, an island in the Maldives. The project includes a robust component of human resource development, the Indian embassy said when the announcement was made in 2020.
Until 2018, cancer care in the Maldives was handled by visiting oncologists from India. Even today, the island nation has a handful of cancer specialists. Many of its patients travel to India for advanced treatments under the public referral system called Aasandha, under which the Maldivian government funds treatments of its citizens overseas.
“We have been collaborating with many hospitals in India, especially in the south of the country. A lot of patients travel to these hospitals for their treatment and it has been a good partnership,” Dr Amru Ahmed, consultant oncologist at Male’s Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital told ETHealthworld in June 2023.
Cricket stadium and other sports infrastructure
Hulhumale is also getting a modern cricket stadium courtesy of India. It will be equipped with the latest technology and will have the capacity to seat 22,000 spectators.
It was in March 2019, during then External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s bilateral visit that Maldivian authorities requested Indian assistance for the construction of a cricket stadium.
New Delhi is also helping in building a mega sporting infrastructure which will promote basketball, volleyball, table tennis, and netball, according to a report in WION.
India has offered $40 million LoC for sports infrastructure.
It’s left to be seen if ties can be reset between India and the Maldives. But for now, Male has several reasons to be thankful to India.
With inputs from agencies
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