Male: The Maldives Parliamentary Committee has passed a resolution to investigate the previous government’s agreements with India, local media reported. This report comes on the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s oath ceremony, which was also attended by Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu.
The resolution was passed by the 20th Parliament’s Security Services Committee also known as Parliament 241 Committee. A total of four agreements will be probed. The committee has alleged that these agreements are a threat to the sovereignty and independence of the Maldives, Maldives-based Sun Online International reported.
This decision was made after a proposal by Hithadhoo Central MP Ahmed Azan to review all agreements signed between Maldives and India under President Solih’s administration. Azan has submitted three cases to the committee.
The agreements that will be investigated by the committee are the hydrography agreement between India and Maldives, the Uthuru Thilafalhu (UTF) Dockyard being built with Indian assistance, as well as the Dornier aircraft gifted by India to Maldives Defence Forces for humanitarian and search and rescue operations.
Notably, India-Maldives ties have taken a hit lately after President Mohamed Muizzu came to power in the island nation. One of the core promises of Muizzu was the removal of Indian troops from the country.
Maldives Foreign Minister confirmed in May that 76 Indian military personnel in the island nation, were replaced by civilian personnel sent by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, which manufactured the helicopter donated by the Indian government.
Days after the withdrawal of Indian soldiers, Maldives Defence Minister Ghassan Maumoon also acknowledged that the country’s defence forces are still not capable of operating the three aircraft donated by India, local media reported.
Last year, Maldives President and his cabinet also decided not to renew the Hydrography agreement between the India-Maldives. The hydrographic survey agreement was signed on June 8, 2019, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Maldives.
Meanwhile, President Mohamed Muizzu attended the oath ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 9. Several distinguished guests and heads of state from neighbourhood and Indian Ocean Region attended PM Modi’s swearing in.
