Daily Answer Writing Challenge-13th September

Q1. The “India Out” campaign in the Maldives was based on “misinformation and false  propaganda”. In this context, highlight the possible reasons for the campaign.   (250 words, 15 Marks) 

Decoding the Question: 

• Introduction: Provide a brief background of India and Maldives Relations.
• Body: 

• • Mention possible reasons for the India Out Campaign. 
• Conclusion: Conclude with highlighting the importance for India to work on perception  management. 

Answer: 

India and Maldives are coastal neighbours. However, it is not just the geographical proximity that  has brought the two nations together. With the freedom of Maldives from colonial rule in 1965,  India set up formal diplomatic relations with it. Since 2018, the warmth and friendship between  the two countries have been reignited following a hiatus of misunderstandings and a wanton  display of anti-Indian attitude in the Maldives.  

India Out Campaign 

• The ‘India Out’ campaign started in 2020. The protest began on-ground and widely spread  across social media platforms using the phrase with a related hashtag. 
• Maldives has signed an agreement in 2016 as part of the defence action plan to develop and  maintain a coastguard harbour and dockyard at Uthuru Thila Falhu (UTF). 
• There was speculation that the UTF project would be turned into an Indian naval base which  led to the protests against India in the form of the ‘ India Out’ campaign. 
• This ‘India Out’ campaign is led by critics who accuse the Mohamed Solih government of  compromising the sovereignty of Maldives by allowing India’s military presence. 

Possible Reasons for India Out Campaign: 

• Gift Controversy: India gifted two Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters (ALF) to the Maldives in  2010 and 2015 for ocean search-and-rescue operations, and maritime weather surveillance.
• Lack of Transparency: The Maldives Government has refused to share details of agreements signed with India citing security reasons while the protestors claim it is a law and every  agreement signed by the government should be shared with the Parliament.

• Domestic Politics: It has been common in the domestic politics of Maldives to target India to  advance one’s political interests. 
• Perception: It is perceived that India due to its economic might acts as a hegemon and interferes  in the domestic politics of Maldives. 

Maldives Government Stand: 

• The Maldives government rejected the “India Out” slogan and described India as the country’s  “closest ally and trusted neighbour”. 

Importance of the Maldives for India: 

• The Maldives is strategically located in the Indian Ocean. It comprises 1200 coral islands lying next to shipping lanes which ensure uninterrupted energy supplies to countries like China,  Japan and India.  
• As the pre-eminent South Asian power and a net security provider in the Indian Ocean, India  needs to cooperate with the Maldives in the security and defence sectors.
• India and Maldives share ethnic, linguistic, cultural, religious and commercial links. 

Maldives is a member of the SAARC. India needs to work on perception management in the  Maldives to counterattack the malicious India Out Campaign for securing its strategic objectives.  With the timely implementation of projects and by extending the Line of Credit (LoC) to the  Maldives, India can checkmate China’s chequebook diplomacy in the region.