On November 18, the day after the new Maldivian ** Muiz took office, he delivered a heavy blow to India**, demanding the withdrawal of all garrisons. This move has unleashed a strong determination to safeguard national sovereignty. According to the official website of the Maldives** office on December 3, Muiz made it clear that the two sides have reached an agreement to withdraw military personnel. This decision is historic for the Maldives as India has been stationed in the Maldives since 1988. This situation is clearly inconsistent with the principle of a sovereign state, so Muiz demanded that India withdraw its troops after taking office.
The statement made by the new Maldives Mouiz after taking office has an important impact on China-India relations and the political landscape of the entire Indian Ocean region. As a regional power, India has a strong influence in the Indian Ocean region. As an archipelagic country in the Indian Ocean region, the Maldives has always been influenced by India's military power. However, the political landscape in the Maldives is constantly changing. Over the past few years, the Maldives' former Yameen has developed a close relationship with China and even joined China's "One Belt, One Road" initiative, which has become the largest tourism market in the Maldives. However, with the intervention of the United States, Yameen was forced to abandon the election, and Saleh, who was supported by the United States, came to power, and the Maldives changed its political orientation and became an important partner of the United States' "Indo-Pacific strategy".
The Maldives is facing serious economic problems. The country's main income** is tourism and shipping, but the Maldives' economy has struggled for nearly two years due to the impact of the pandemic. According to the World Bank, the Maldives will face up to 10$700 million in external debt servicing. Faced with such a situation, the Maldives seems to have only two options.
The first option is to continue to follow India, cede sovereignty to it in exchange for economic benefits, and actively cater to the U.S. "Indo-Pacific strategy" to resolve the debt crisis. However, such behavior is likely to be countered, as it is unsustainable to trade sovereignty for short-term gains.
The second option is to continue cooperation with China. Muiz, as an ally of Yameen, will further strengthen cooperation with China when he comes to power. He said that he would uphold the one-China principle and strengthen economic and trade cooperation with China. This reflects the Maldives' friendly attitude towards China. If China and Malaysia strengthen cooperation, it will have a certain impact on India's influence in the region and the "Indo-Pacific strategy" of the United States.
If China and Malaysia strengthen cooperation, it will have an important impact on the political landscape of the Indian Ocean region. India has always had a strong influence in the region, playing an important role in the economy, military and other aspects. The United States has also stepped up its involvement in the region through the Indo-Pacific Strategy.
However, with the changing political situation in the Maldives and the strengthening of China-Malaysia cooperation, the influence of India and the United States in the region may be affected. As a major Indian Ocean nation, the Maldives will be a wake-up call for India and the United States to re-examine their strategic presence in the region.
The decision of the new Mouiz of the Maldives to demand the withdrawal of Indian troops has unleashed a strong determination to safeguard the country's sovereignty. This move is of historic significance for the Maldives and has an important impact on China-India relations and the political landscape of the Indian Ocean region. The Maldives faces serious economic problems, and to solve the debt crisis, the Maldives can choose to continue to follow in with India or cooperate with China. If the Maldives and China strengthen cooperation, it will have a certain impact on India's influence in the region and the "Indo-Pacific strategy" of the United States. It also reminds India and the United States to revisit their strategic deployments in the Indian Ocean region to meet the challenges of the new situation. The future development will depend on the cooperation and decision-making between China and Malaysia.