The ‘India Out’ campaign in the Maldives

Context

Ever since Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was elected to office, an ‘India Out’ campaign has cropped up within the country.

Key-Highlights

• The campaign has mostly cropped on social media, for over the last three.
• It is led by government critics. The critics accuse Maldives President's government of “allowing Indian boots on the ground”. It comprises the sovereignty of the island nation.
• However, the ruling administration has denied the presence of any Indian military in Maldives, or any threat to Maldives’s sovereignty.
• Most recently, the campaign gained momentum when former President Abdulla Yameen started leading it, after the Supreme Court set him free in November 2021 by overturning his conviction in a money-laundering case.

India–Maldives Relations

• India and Maldives share a maritime border. Relations between both the countries have been friendly as well as close in strategic, economic and military cooperation. 
• India contributes to maintaining security in Maldives. 
• India and Maldives established their diplomatic relations, after Maldives got freedom from British rule in 1966. 
• India was among nations to recognise Maldives’ independence first. Since then, both the countries have developed close strategic, economic, military, and cultural relations. 
• India has supported Maldives’ policy to keep regional issues and struggles away from itself.

Operation Cactus

• After the success of Operation Cactus, relations between both the countries have expanded significantly. 
• India has provided economic aid and has participated in bilateral programmes to develop infrastructure, telecommunications, health, and labour resources. 
• India established the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Male.