Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba on Tuesday revealed that Maldives has turned down India’s invitation for biennial naval exercise beginning…
Indian Navy chief Sunil Lanba (Photo: Facebook)
Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba on Tuesday revealed that Maldives has turned down India’s invitation for biennial naval exercise beginning March 6.
“Maldives has declined India’s invite for biennial naval exercise beginning March 6,” Lanba said as trouble continues to brew in the island nation which has been in a state of emergency since February 5.
The multilateral naval exercise named ‘Milan’ is being hosted by Indian Navy at Port Blair with the underlying theme of “friendship across the seas”. The exercise will conclude on March 13.
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Despite refusals from both sides, ties between India and Maldives remain strained ever since the island nation ratified a free-trade agreement (FTA) with China in its Parliament, without taking the opposition on board.
Moreover, in the past four years there has been some strain due to President Abdullah Yameen’s policies. The Maldivian President is known to harbour anti-India sentiments since he first became minister in early 1990s.
And as the political crisis deepened in Maldives following the February 5 emergency, Yameen approached three ‘friendly countries’ — China, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and sent envoys to these nations. India did not figure in this list.
The Maldivian Parliament earlier this week approved extending the state of Emergency in the country by 30 days following a request by President Abdulla Yameen.
Yameen had requested for an extension “as the threat to national security had not diminished” following the Supreme Court ruling on February 1 ordering the release of detained opposition leaders, including self-exiled former President Mohamed Nasheed.
The President had first declared a 15-day state of emergency on February 5 after the Supreme Court ruling, which was, however, rescinded shortly after the declaration of the state of Emergency.
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