Abdullah Shahid, former Maldivian foreign minister, on Friday warned that alienating India could jeopardise the country’s national security and regional cooperation. He called for rebuilding ties and restoring diplomatic balance in the Indian Ocean region.
In a conversation with NewsX, the former foreign minister said that it was hurtful when the opposition party, currently in power under President Mohamed Muizzu, created a hateful narrative against our best friend, our first responder – India. “Our domestic issues should be resolved domestically, and we were reminding the then-opposition party, “he added.
Appreciating the Indian government’s approach, the opposition leader said, “The way Prime Minister Modi has dealt with the Maldivian government is outstanding. I recall how Dr. Jaishankar said to the media — there are two things that you can’t change, one is history, and the other thing that you can’t change is your neighbours.”
He further said that India has always been the first responder, whether it is the 1988 terrorist attack or the 2004 tsunami, the 2017 Mallay water crisis or the most recent COVID-19 pandemic.
Currently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a two-day visit to the Maldives. During his tour, he will be attending the Maldives’ 60th Independence Day and the 60th anniversary of India-Maldives diplomatic relations, as the Guest of Honour.
Abdullah Shahid said, “We are celebrating 60 years of independence tomorrow and celebrating 60 years of diplomatic relations with India. During this period, we have benefited most from India in infrastructural projects. Thousands of people have benefited from Indian institutions. 5,000 Maldivians had received short and long-term training.”
In conclusion, pressing for a prosperous and stable Maldives, the Opposition leader said, “We need the Indian Ocean to be prosperous, stable and peaceful. And that is why when we were in government, we had such an outstanding relationship with India and our neighbours, making sure that we do not need foreign conflicts to be brought into our great Indian Ocean.”
ALSO READ: PM Modi To Unveil ₹4,800-Crore Development Projects In Tamil Nadu On July 26
