Maldives Today

Politics

India Says It Is Watching Maldives–Pakistan Agreements That Include Defence Cooperation

The two governments exchanged 20 memoranda in Islamabad on 21 October, including on defence and maritime security. Their texts have not been published.

By Maldives Today ·
President Mohamed Muizzu and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sit at a green-draped table with flowers, as officials stand behind them in front of Maldivian and Pakistani flags.
President Mohamed Muizzu and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the exchange of memoranda in Islamabad on 21 October. (photo credit: President's Office)

The News

India is keeping “a close watch” on the agreements the Maldives signed with Pakistan last week, its foreign ministry spokesperson said on 23 October.

Randhir Jaiswal was answering a question at a media briefing about the 20 agreements, which a reporter noted include one on defence. He replied in Hindi. The English version in the ministry’s published transcript, which it calls an approximate translation, reads: “We keep a close watch on such developments and will take whatever appropriate steps may be necessary.”

He did not say what steps India might take.

Know More

President Mohamed Muizzu and Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, witnessed the exchange of 20 memoranda of understanding in Islamabad on 21 October, during the President’s state visit.

The President’s Office list of the memoranda includes:

  • an MoU on defence cooperation, exchanged by Defence Minister Hassan Rasheed and Pakistan’s Federal Secretary of Defence, Lieutenant General (Retired) Mohamed Ali;
  • an MoU on maritime security cooperation, exchanged by the same two officials;
  • MoUs on combating drug trafficking, and on cooperation between police academies and civil service bodies;
  • MoUs on enhancing air connectivity, tourism, fisheries, agriculture, health and the recruitment of health professionals.

The President’s Office has not published the text of any of the memoranda or said what the defence and maritime security agreements cover.

That night, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, paid a courtesy call on the President. The President’s Office said the two reaffirmed the countries’ longstanding ties. It gave no other details.

Step Back

The same question also asked about the President’s call for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to be revived. He said India supports greater connectivity in South Asia. He added that he did not wish to repeat the reasons, or name the country, that had left the group stalled.

In his statement to the press in Islamabad on 21 October, the President said the Maldives was “firmly committed” to revitalising SAARC. He said it was ready to work with all members towards creating the conditions for the next SAARC summit to be held at the earliest opportunity.

A week before the visit, on 14 October, the government said that allowing any foreign party to oversee or conduct maritime security, “military or otherwise”, over any part of Maldivian territory would compromise its sovereignty. That statement did not mention Pakistan or any other country, as Maldives Today reported.

On 16 October, India said it had rolled over an INR30 billion currency swap with the Maldives, Maldives Today reported.

The Islamabad visit also set a target of raising trade between the Maldives and Pakistan to US$200 million within two years, as Maldives Today reported on 21 October.

The Record

Add Maldives Today as a preferred source on Google ↗