Only peaceful Passage permitted through The Indian Ocean, nothing else
Mr Mohamed Muizzu has become the President of Maldives by winning 54% of the votes against 46% received by Ibrahim Solih the incumbent President but only in the Second round run off.
He has been sworn in as the 8th President of the Republic of Maldives. Though he needs to remember that in the Maldivian Parliament or the Majilis, 44 members are still from the opposition and only 36 from the ruling coliation.
Muizzu has basically won on an anti India campaign, helped by radicalized youths who suffer from lethargy drug abuse and unemployment due to laziness. Many of these, to prove their masculinity, have enlisted in significant numbers to fight for Islamic State terrorists.
Muizzu, right after swearing in, made a public demand asking India to withdraw its defence personnel stationed in Maldives to provide training and maintainance to Maldive Defence Forces.
This is in spite of the fact that without Indian help most of the equipment including Ship and aircraft would get grounded. Muizzu forgets that in case India wants to dominate Maldives, it can do so even without stationing a single Indian defence personnel on any of the Maldives islands.
On return from his recent five days visit to China where he was finally able to meet Xi Shinping, Muizzu has uttered that “ his country may be small but does not give licence to bully us “ ….in a reference to Indian citizens’call for avoiding holiday tours to Maldives.
He then went on to say “ though we have small islands only but we have Exclusive Economic Zone of 900000 Sq Km. Maldives is one of the countries with the biggest share of this Ocean. “
In an apparent jibe at his huge neighbour, riding on Chinese assurance and backing Muizzu also added “ This Ocean does not belong to a specific Country. This Ocean belongs to all countries situated in it “.
Well Muizzu forgets that India is its closest neighbour and has always been helping out Maldives both in acute crisis and normal times. In any emergency, natural or man made, India has been the first responder.
Maldive is certainly a very important country with 900000 Sq Km EEZ but then even Lakshadweep & Minicoy have 400000 Sq Km of EEZ and development of these 36 islands of India as a tourist destination will certainly be done by the Govt of India within next few years.
Coming to the “ ownership “ of the Indian Ocean, it certainly belongs to all the nation’s of the Earth but no one should forget that this NAME has not come into use by accident.
No other country has a Ocean named after it, even China can boast of only a Sea …South China Sea. Since time immemorial India has ensured peaceful trade trough this Ocean and now after a hiatus since 1700 AD, it is again going to be ensured within the next decade or so.
India does not interfere in the internal affairs of any country. However it will no more permit any other country to cross the red lines affecting its Security and integrity, 45 years ago it had responded very hesitatingly to help out Maldives to prevent foreign mercenaries taking control.
Troops had been flown in from distant Agra. Today if required we will do it without hesitation and instantly from the nearest military camp. No country not even China will be permitted to violate our security interests any more.
It seems that the people of Maldives have already reacted to Miuzzu’s love fir China by decisively voting for the opposition candidate in the Mayoral elections for Male !!
