Small State, Big Stakes: The Maldives and Strategic Competition in the Indian Ocean
“India, the Maldives’ traditional regional partner, has responded to China’s growing presence with its own surge in investment and diplomacy. The centerpiece is the Greater Malé Connectivity Project, a $500 million initiative consisting of a bridge, causeways, and roads linking Malé to three neighboring islands. Funded by a $100 million grant and a $400 million line of credit, the connectivity project is India’s largest-ever infrastructure investment in the Maldives. India has also contributed $220 million to the Addu City Reclamation and Shore Protection Project and provided grants to expand ferry services and maritime connectivity across islands. Additional projects include investments in Hanimaadhoo International Airport, over $100 million in water and sanitation upgrades, and support for education, medical aid, and technical training.”
“Unlike India and China, the United States has adopted a lower profile but strategically important approach. In 2020, Washington and Malé signed a Defense and Security Relationship Framework, the first formal military agreement between the two countries. This milestone was followed by the opening of the first U.S. embassy in the Maldives and the full-time reestablishment of the Maldivian embassy in Washington in 2023, signaling deepening institutional ties.”
“The Maldives has also increasingly deepened its ties with other Muslim-majority countries beyond Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, engaging in military training, diplomatic coordination, and development cooperation. Pakistan has provided officer training, joint drills, and high-level defense exchanges. Turkey gifted the Maldives the TCG Volkan, a former Turkish Navy missile-capable fast attack craft, and initiated naval training programs. This growing engagement with Islamic partners reflects Malé’s strategy of embedding itself within multiple economic, diplomatic, and security architectures, reinforced by shared cultural and religious ties, as the Maldives constitutionally defines itself as a 100 percent Muslim nation.”
Source: War On The Rocks