On November 18, the day after the new Maldives Moiz took office, he issued a strong demand to India, demanding that India withdraw all troops stationed in order to safeguard the country's sovereignty. This move has received a positive response from India**, and the two sides have reached an agreement on the withdrawal of military personnel from the Maldives. This incident is not just an internal affair of the Maldives, it is closely related to the political landscape of the entire Indian Ocean region.
The Maldives, as an archipelagic country in the Indian Ocean region, has long been radiated by India's military influence. India has had troops stationed in the Maldives since 1988. However, the phenomenon of a sovereign country having a different contingent is intolerable. Therefore, the new ** Mouiz of the Maldives took immediate action after taking office, demanding that India withdraw its troops, which is obviously his stubborn disease to completely ** foreign troops, but also to reshape the country's image and boost the trust of his own people.
This decision is bound to have far-reaching implications for the political direction of the Indian Ocean region, especially for India. As a regional power, India's influence in the Indian Ocean region has always been strong. However, this move by the Maldives will weaken India's influence in the region and may change the position and distribution of interests between China and the United States in the Indian Ocean region.
The political situation in the Maldives has been jumping left and right since Gayoom. Between 2013 and 2018, when Yameen was the first to serve, the Maldives became very close to China, even announcing that it had joined the "One Belt, One Road" initiative proposed by China, which became the country's largest tourism market. However, in 2018, the United States took the opportunity to exert pressure to make Yameen give up the election campaign and support Saleh to take control of the Maldives regime, so that the Maldives shifted from "pro-China" to "India first" and "India first", and vigorously supported the United States' "Indo-Pacific strategy" and became a key partner of the Pentagon.
The Maldives has relied on tourism and shipping to keep its economy afloat over the past few years. However, due to the outbreak of the pandemic, the Maldives' economy is in trouble. According to the World Bank**, the Maldives will face high external debt repayment pressure in 2026, up to 10$700 million. In this case, it seems that the Maldives has only two options.
The first option is to continue the "India First" line, cede sovereignty to India in exchange for more benefits, and actively cater to the "Indo-Pacific Strategy" of the United States to resolve the debt crisis. However, for a small Indian Ocean country like the Maldives, 10$700 million is a huge debt, but it is nothing to a big country like the United States and India, and selling sovereignty in exchange for short-term benefits is bound to come at a heavy price.
The second option is to continue working with China, which is the best solution to Moiz's dilemma. As a political ally of the former Yameen, Mouiz adheres to an independent development policy and is inclined to cooperate with China. After taking office, he made it clear that he would adhere to the one-China principle and strengthen economic and trade cooperation with China under the framework of the "Belt and Road". This shows his friendly attitude towards China. If China and Malaysia strengthen cooperation, it will have a big impact on India's influence in the region and the "Indo-Pacific strategy" of the United States.
The Maldives' decision is not only a change in the political landscape of the region, but also a reminder of the rivalry between China and India in the region. Over the past few years, China and India have engaged in a fierce battle over the political leanings of the Maldives. The regime change in the Maldives has also become a microcosm of the competition between China and India for influence in the region.
However, the Maldives has made it clear that it will adhere to an independent development policy and strengthen cooperation with China, which will have a significant impact on the competition between China and India in the region. As an important node of the Maritime Silk Road, the Maldives is a strategic partner of China's Belt and Road Initiative, and deepening cooperation between China and Malaysia will bring more opportunities to both sides.
For China, continuing to consolidate friendly relations and cooperation in the Maldives will help consolidate its influence in the Indian Ocean region. At the same time, China should also pay attention to the domestic economic situation of the Maldives, actively help it solve its debt problem, and increase its support for its development.
For India, it needs to recognize the political situation and public opinion orientation in the Maldives, and readjust its policies and practices towards the Maldives. The Maldives should no longer be its sphere of influence, but should be more pragmatically cooperating with the Maldives on the basis of equality and mutual benefit.
Finally, for China and India, competition exists, but it is more important to focus on cooperation and jointly promote peace, stability and sustainable development in the Indian Ocean region. Only in this way can we truly maximize the interests of all parties and achieve a win-win situation.