According to Maldivian media, china and the maldives have signed two military accords amidst changing circumstances in the indian Ocean area. Particularly at a time when the Maldives' ties with india appear to be strained, these agreements represent a new chapter in the two countries' bilateral relations.
 
The agreements were formalised during a ceremony in which Major General Zhang Baoqun, Deputy director of the People's Republic of China's office for international Military Cooperation, and Ghassan Maumoon, the minister of Defence for the maldives, exchanged paperwork.
 
China has promised to give the maldives free military support as part of one of the agreements, according to Maldivian media. China's gift of help, the details of which are still unknown, represents a strengthening of military and strategic relations between the two nations. There is still uncertainty on the kind and extent of the military help because the Maldives' Defence Ministry has not yet disclosed all the information.
 
Furthermore, a parallel agreement was reached on the Chinese research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 3, which the Maldivian media reported recently made an appearance in the country. This arrangement might strengthen their bilateral ties by having an influence on marine research in the indian Ocean Region (IOR).
 
The timing of these accords is crucial since it seems like the maldives and india are becoming less close. The Muizzu government's closer ties to china indicate a strategic shift that might upset the existing order of power and influence in the area. The maldives is an important player in marine security and commercial routes in the indian Ocean, because to its strategic location.
 
The recently signed military accords between china and the maldives are more than just papers; they serve as evidence of how the indian Ocean's geopolitical environment is changing. The Maldives' growing military and strategic alliance with china is expected to have far-reaching consequences that will influence the balance of power in the area for some time to come.
 
Concerns have been raised in the maldives over the lack of openness around China's military support. The lack of comprehensive public information encourages conjecture over the type and scope of military collaboration and its consequences for the sovereignty and autonomy of the Maldives. Concerns that the maldives being overly dependent on china may result in a debt trap or undermine the country's capacity to make autonomous policy decisions are shared by those in other areas where China's influence and investment have grown considerably.
 
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G GOWTHAM

05/03/2024 10:20 AM