Mint Explainer: Pro-China Muizzu wins in Maldives. What does it mean for India?
Pro-Beijing leader Mohamed Muizzu has won the Maldives presidential election, beating incumbent president Ibrahim Solih in the second-round of the contest. This shift may raise alarms in New Delhi, apprehensive of China's growing influence in the traditionally Indian-aligned Maldives. Mint delves into the implications.
Outgoing president Ibrahim Solih heads the Maldivian Democratic Party while his challenger, president-elect Mohamed Muizzu, led a group of opposition parties. Solih, who has been in office since 2018, was seeking re-election. However, Muizzu won a run-off election with just over 54% of the vote.
Prior to running for the presidency, Muizzu served as mayor of Male, the national capital. He was also a cabinet minister under former president Abdulla Yameen, whose tenure saw an uptick in tensions between India and the Maldives. Strategically located in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives' partnership is vital to India's regional dominance, especially amid China's growing influence.
Their strong defence relationship dates back decades, highlighted by India's intervention to prevent a 1988 coup. Additionally, India has invested heavily in Maldivian development and infrastructure. Muizzu is considered a protege of Abdulla Yameen, who pushed for closer ties with China.
Yameen signed a free trade agreement with Beijing and joined the controversial Belt and Road Initiative. Maldivian debt to China also rose during his time in office. He has had a tense relationship with India, which criticised him for his increasingly authoritarian style of governance.
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