India - The Indian Ocean Civilization & IOR

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 28 Nov 2012 13:51

Maldives asks GMR to leave within a week

Maldives Attorney General Azima Shukoor said that although the agreement had stated that GMR should be given a 30-day notice of termination, the government believed that it need not be followed since the contract was void.

"The government has given a seven day notice to GMR to leave the airport," said Shukoor, adding the government reached the decision after considering "technical, financial and economic" issues surrounding the agreement.

She gave no more reasons why the contract was invalid Shukoor said the government had already informed both GMR and the Maldives Airports Company Limited of its decision.

It is not clear whether the Singapore arbitration case will continue after the Maldives nullified the contract.

Sri · Post by **Sri** » 28 Nov 2012 14:36

GMR should ask Maldivians to leave within a week.

anupmisra · Post by **anupmisra** » 28 Nov 2012 17:25

SSridhar wrote:India to take up GMR issue with Male - Sandeep Dikshit in The Hindu

If GMR has a cause, they should sue the maldivians for not keeping their end of the deal.

Rony · Post by **Rony** » 28 Nov 2012 19:50

Mayday In Maldives

GMR told Outlook that since the bidding process was monitored by international authorities—the World Bank group’s International Finance Corporation (IFC)—there should be no doubt about its authenticity. Says Siddharth Kapur, GMR’s CFO (airports), “The whole process was handled by IFC and the contract was given in a transparent manner. Why is this being raked up one-and-a-half years later, when no one, not even the other bidders or members of the government, had objections to the process before?”

The other contentious issue is that of the $25 airport development fee (ADF), which GMR insists was built into the contract. Says Kapur, “The concession agreement provides for charging of ADF on departing international passengers. This is a sovereign commitment under the concession terms. The Maldives government needs to get their requisite approvals in place to honour their commitment.” GMR sources say that since an amendment in laws was required to allow the ADF, the former Nasheed government had written to GMR, stating that the ADF amount should be adjusted from the revenue share. However, this was discontinued when the government changed and the Waheed regime took over.

With elections due in less than a year, Maldives-watchers feel there is increased play by different political groups which want to prove they are “saving” the airport, a precious asset. Raking up an anti-India sentiment is also on the agenda of many politicians. This was apparent when the Maldives president’s spokesperson called Dnyaneshwar Mulay, India’s envoy to the Maldives, a “traitor” and “an enemy of Maldives”, before the government launched a huge fire-fighting exercise to save face.

Says Maldives expert N. Sathiyamoorthy, who is with the Observer Research Foundation, “Waheed, as president, heads a party which does not have strength and needs to create a constituency by creating such sentiments and issues. And the GMR case fits into the issue of the Maldives’ sovereignty.” As no Maldives political outfit would want to antagonise India—which regularly extends a monetary line to the country—larger issues like security and national interest are being constantly raised.

Then there is the China question. Many pro-India politicians are also raising the China bogey, saying that the entire hullabaloo about GMR is basically to ease the Indian company out of the project and bring the Chinese in. A senior member of the Waheed government said on condition of anonymity, “This whole hype about GMR and the anti-India sentiments is done by some in the government who are seeking Chinese favours....The Chinese are keen on competing with India in this part.... They have plans to get the southernmost Gan International airport in Addu too. There is one more airport only a couple of miles from India’s Lakshwadeep borders. China is looking at that too.”

Recently, the Maldives government issued a prime plot of land close to the Indian High Commission in Male to China to build their embassy, a development not seen positively by India. China got the plot within a year of starting an embassy in Maldives. While this could be a serious strategic issue for India, political watchers say it is not unusual for Maldivian politicians to rake up the China issue to get the attention of Indian policymakers and Maldivian leaders. At election time, such games pay off.

As of now though, the fate of GMR’s contract in Male hangs in doubt, with the government yet to take a decision on it. With election fever picking up in Male, the airport issue may decide who rules the country next year. If anti-India sentiments prevail, GMR could just be part of the collateral damage.

Sanku · Post by **Sanku** » 28 Nov 2012 20:21

^^ This is what we get for sitting idly while our friends get shafted. Why would there be no anti-India sentiments? Heck even if I was on Indian side to begin with, I would be feeling pretty anti India right now.

Jai ho UPA. (I told you so -- at the very beginning of the thread)

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 29 Nov 2012 01:03

Err, maybe we should ignore and dismiss this as mere posturing? After all - its supposed to be business as usual in Maldives for India, with educational initiatives, and money-line, and defense cooperation, and security collaboration, all are continuing, isnt it?

The answer is more investments from Indian side, ignore any and all suggestions that the fundamental anti-India sentiment is driven by Islamism, that India sat tweedling its thumb for decades all the while Islamism was allowed to to grow and even nurtured by Maldivean "state level" friends of India - because, because any step anywhere in the world that displeases Islamists in any possible way can affect electoral and power prospects of Indian rulers.

More Indian investments, more training of Maldiveans in military skills that will come in handy when they join Islamist forces, and inviting Maldivean students to such enlightening enclaves of Islamist education as they exist in Kerala or Hyderabad, or parts of WB and UP - might be the onlee way forward.

JE Menon · Post by **JE Menon** » 29 Nov 2012 03:05

Comical though it may seem, I suspect that's exactly what's gong to happen

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 29 Nov 2012 08:52

Termination of GMR contract will not affect bilateral ties: Maldives - BusinessLine

A day after his government terminated the $500-million GMR airport project here, Maldives President Mohamad Waheed today hoped that it will not affect bilateral ties with India, which has reacted sharply over the Maldivian decision.

He also termed the Male airport development contract signed with GMR by his predecessor Mohamed Nasheed’s government as “void ab initio’’.

The President’s remarks come in the backdrop of sharp reaction by India which said Maldives should ensure that the safety of Indian interests and its nationals are “fully protected” in that country.

“We have always maintained that this is a commercial contract that was signed by Nasheed’s Government under dubious conditions. The actual signing was conducted despite Parliament’s objection,” Waheed said in an interview to PTI.

“We remain confident that India-Maldives relation will not be affected by the cancellation of GMR contract by MACL (Maldives Airports Company Ltd). In the meantime, two other contracts with Indian companies are been taken forward.

The bilateral relation, especially in the fields of military, trade and business, is even stronger than before,” he said.

The issue had also cropped up during the talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Waheed, who visited India earlier this year. Waheed had then assured that Indian investments will remain “safe”.

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 30 Nov 2012 04:16

I actually welcome the kick that the Islamists gave in Maldives - because the kick landed squarely on the mercantile interests of Indian ruling-biz interest networks. The more Islamists hurt Indian mercantile classes, the better. It at least neutralizes mercantile mentality opposition to eradication of Islamists or rather hedging on both sides of the pro-anti-Islamism divide.

Indian big biz should get it into their heads that Islamic mindset does not completely erase religious or ideological priorities where it comes to dealing with the non-Muslim. In fact they have their own preference ordering of compromises - given all else equal, they will compromise more with "people of the book" than with kaffir, and more with anti-kaffir than kaffir. Hence Maldives will see increasing support for China and Chinese investments - simply because China is seen as good potential stick to crush "Hindu" India.

Every anti-India feeling from Muslim neighbours comes more from Islamic hatred of the Hindu than for any other formal excuses of "big-power" etc.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 30 Nov 2012 14:06

Maldives' decision to terminate contract unlawful: Salman Kurshid

"It seems that it is an unlawful termination. We are concerned that this is a huge investment from India. I think more than us Maldives should be concerned about the impact this will have on Indian investment," Khurshid told ET Now.

" I have spoken to my counterpart in Maldives but I am not very satisfied with their responses so far. I hope this matter can be addressed and reversed by Maldives," the minister added.

Despite India's displeasure, the Maldives government on Thursday issued a notice transferring the licence to operate the country's principal airport to the state-owned Male Airports Company (MACL). The transfer will be with effect from December 7.

Meanwhile, a Maldives business house, called the Villa Group, is said to be exploring a tie-up with Chinese firms for taking over the airport project, which is crucial for Maldives' tourism-led economy.

Virupaksha · Post by **Virupaksha** » 01 Dec 2012 05:49

So where are the whole maldives coup was in consort with Indian intelligence gang now?

Bade · Post by **Bade** » 01 Dec 2012 06:13

The kick has come not from the alleged quarters which is only the front, it is from China. Is India ready to kick back at China ?

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 01 Dec 2012 07:23

Outcome of GMR airport case could impact ties with Maldives - says Govt. - BusinessLine

India on Thursday cautioned that the outcome of the problems that the GMR group was facing in completing the modernising of Male airport project could affect relations between the two countries.

“Frankly, it is likely to affect not only an Indian investor, but investors worldwide and their attitude to investing in Maldives. It (GMR) is the largest Indian investment there. And the manner in which the campaign against it has gone has been extremely unfortunate and has caused great worry because of the language being used by some of the marginal political parties (there),” a senior Government official said.

Officials claimed that with the elections in Maldives scheduled to be held latest by October next year, the GMR airport issue has become an “election issue and ceased to be a purely commercial issue.”

The Maldivian Government, however, has told India that the GMR issue was “purely a legal matter” and there was no politics in it.

Asked about the security of about 30,000 Indians living in Maldives, officials said that the island’s Government had assured that they would be looked after.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 02 Dec 2012 06:53

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/termination-of-gmr-contract-could-spell-trouble-for-ties-with-maldives/articleshow/17444138.cms

The way India reads the situation is: the Maldivian government went after GMR in order to bring around some of the smaller Islamist parties to their side. While these parties are not known to have a big presence yet, they appear to be supported by elements in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. That the Maldivian government could go after Indian interests to appease them holds dangerous portents for near future.

This is how Islamism starts and entrenches itself. GoI must ponder as to why Islamist parties in Maldives should target GMR.

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 02 Dec 2012 10:05

Bade wrote:The kick has come not from the alleged quarters which is only the front, it is from China. Is India ready to kick back at China ?

SSridhar's post quotes a source pointing to the same "alleged quarters". There is no need to cover up for the Islamist mindset and politics towrads India by blaming everything on China. China, as pointed out in my post, is used by Islamists from their anti-Hindu drive. In Islamist thinking India==Hindu.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 02 Dec 2012 10:47

It is very clear which way Maldives is 'evolving'. It has been so for a while now. Of course, PRC will exploit the situation.

Bade · Post by **Bade** » 02 Dec 2012 19:15

No one is denying the harm of the Islamist mindset, for that matter any such narrow mindsets in any other garb too. Left to themselves, they cause some harm to others and mostly to themselves in a Darwinian sense. But the problem gets compounded when other non-islamist players like China indulge in, due to their own gains. Now GoI feels Saudis have a role too. But there are business and military interests of China, cannot see how Saudis have business interests (it has religious interests) in the Maldives. If Pak is also involved as claimed then the China factor is how they play in Maldives versus India. On their own Pak has little to offer the Maldives on development projects.

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 02 Dec 2012 19:29

The malays been caught in this too - the Malay FM and Malay airports authority turned up in maldives to negotiate something a few days ago. They are saying why are we getting caught in the middle of this - it appears another contract belonging to a malay company has been cancelled as well.

Maldives won't be the first nor the last country that uses PRC card to extract more benefits. But this GMR issue is because GMR had a provision to charge $25 per outgoing passenger in the contract - this is what kicked off the whole issue.

Meanwhile - looks like they are considering taking some serious action

GMR airport glitch: Govt reviews overall ties with Maldives

NEW DELHI: In the backdrop of cancellation of GMR's airport contract by Maldives, the government has reviewed overall relationship with it at the highest level and discussed various options in view of anti-India sentiment that could hurt India's interests "directly".

The Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, took into account the developments surrounding cancellation of the contract and its possible wider consequences, sources said.

The meeting was told that anti-India sentiment exists in Maldives among a small section but such people are even in the government.

In view of this, India is not ruling out the possibility of its interests being hurt "directly", a reference to its citizens or assets being harmed, the sources said.

It was noted that rule of law is weak and India will have to be ready with proportional response to deal with any contingency. Accordingly, various options were considered, which included stronger measures to protect India's interests, the sources said.

It was decided that this measure should not be resorted to as of now and the situation should be dealt with through diplomacy.

The Maldivian government has given assurances that India's interests would be protected, the sources said, adding however that "nothing can be ruled out" considering the fact that small sections are raising anti-India sentiments.

Elections are in one years time, so we'll see what happens during elections. $$$$ probably to Nasheed and ensure he wins elections.

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Indian hackers take down MACL website as lenders, Malaysian government seek to resolve GMR crisis

By JJ Robinson | December 1st, 2012 | Category: Politics | 36 comments

Indian hackers have taken over the website of the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), the government company that has ordered the GMR-Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) consortium to hand over the airport by the end of next week.

The hackers, calling themselves the “Indishell Defacers Team”, replaced the MACL homepage with a black background and a pair of eyes Thursday (November 29) evening, demanding that the Maldives “stop defaming Indian Reputed Companies & learn how to run a website and secure it first.”

“If you don’t know how to secure a website, can you run an Airport securely, MACL?” the hackers added, along with a promise to “do anything for India”.

As of Saturday afternoon, the MACL website remained suspended. MACL CEO Mohamed Ibrahim declined to comment, stating only that he was in a meeting and that the company would “issue media statements from time to time”.

Following the government’s announcement last week that its contract with GMR was void and it would therefore be issuing a seven day ultimatum for the investor to leave the country, MACL claimed that local employees who applied for jobs with the state operator would “have their present basic salary, allowances and other benefits, and training and development opportunities maintained under MACL management.”

The same day, the Immigration Department announced that it would cease renewing the work permits of GMR’s 140 foreign employees, while the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) sent GMR a letter stating that the operator’s aerodrome certificate – the regulatory authority to operate an airport – would be withdrawn at 11:59pm on December 7.

MACL has also filed a complaint with the Maldives Police Service, alleging that the contract was given to GMR in 2010 “unlawfully”.

GMR has meanwhile stated that it has no intention of leaving without exhausting the legal process and seeking due compensation – the company has stated that it has already invested between US$220-240 million of funds set out for the US$511 million airport development project.

Arbitration proceedings over the contentious airport development charge were already ongoing in Singaporean courts prior to the government’s declaration that the contract was void.

GMR is currently seeking an injunction against its eviction in the Singapore courts, with the next hearing reportedly set for Monday.

Malaysian visit

Meanwhile, Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman and MAHB Managing Director Basir Ahmed visited the Maldives on Friday to try and resolve the situation.

Aman told local media at the airport that his discussion with Maldivian Foreign Minister Dr Abdul Samad Abdulla was “fruitful”.

“As we are two friendly nations, there is no reason why this matter cannot be resolved,” Aman was reported as stating by Haveeru.

The reaction from the Indian government and industry groups has been substantially less prosaic.

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), expressed “serious concern over the unilateral decision of the Maldives government” and the “violation” of the country’s concession agreement with GMR.

The chamber of commerce group urged the Indian government “to take immediate steps as may be necessary to protect the interests of GMR, its people working in Male’ as well as the Indian banks against such irrational moves.”

Lenders to GMR, including the lead underwriter Axis Bank, Indian Overseas Bank and the Indian Bank have meanwhile written to the Maldives government demanding that their interests be protected. US$368 of the US$511 million project is a loan component, most of it financed by Indian companies.

The Indian government is meanwhile reported to be reconsidering its bilateral aid assistance to the Maldives.

A succession of Indian loans have been crucial to the Maldives’ ability to pay its operating costs, including civil servant salaries.

Days prior to the government’s decision to void the GMR agreement, India had requested repayment of US$100 million in treasury bonds by February 2013.

A further US$25 million state loan from India was found to have been delayed after the Maldivian government failed to submit the requested paperwork, according to an Indian diplomatic source.

Overall Indian aid to the Maldives has totalled MVR 5 billion (US$324 million) over the last three years, according to official statistics from the Indian High Commission released in May.

In additional to credit facilities, purchase of bonds and provision of equipment and financial assistance, India provided the government substantial aid to hold the SAARC Summit in Addu Atoll last year.

In the last three years, India funded the construction of the Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality, provided US$4.5 million for the development of Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), US$25 million for a police academy, US$9 million for police vehicles, US$1.5 million for a coastal management centre, US$1 million for the purchase of pharmaceuticals and sports equipment, US$5.3 million for the Institute of Information Technology, and most recently, the construction of a military hospital for the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).

Credit facilities of US$40 million were provided for the construction of 500 housing units, while the State Bank of India (SBI) had spent US$100 million of treasury bonds (with a further US$100 as standby credit). India also provided US$28 million for the development of human resources in the Maldives.

Moreover, a substantial amount of private lending to the resort industry development takes place through Indian banking institutions active in the country, most notably SBI, and a significant quantity of food to the import-dependent Maldives (including basics provisions such as eggs) is supplied through trade concessions with India.

India has also provided extensive military support to the Maldives, including supplying vehicles and a helicopter.

“An impact on ties is inevitable,” Indian newspaper The Hindu reported a senior Indian government source as stating, after last week’s decision by the Maldivian cabinet to evict GMR.

“For the time being, we have to consider how things stand and how to proceed,” an official source told the paper, “when asked whether India would continue assisting the Maldives in combating its financial difficulties, including paying salaries to civil servants and shoring up the surveillance and reconnaissance ability of its security forces.”

“Stability can come only after elections. All of them [political parties] are looking for some cause célèbre. GMR has unwittingly become a major political issue in the Maldives,” an official source told the paper

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 02 Dec 2012 21:58

Bade wrote:No one is denying the harm of the Islamist mindset, for that matter any such narrow mindsets in any other garb too. Left to themselves, they cause some harm to others and mostly to themselves in a Darwinian sense. But the problem gets compounded when other non-islamist players like China indulge in, due to their own gains. Now GoI feels Saudis have a role too. But there are business and military interests of China, cannot see how Saudis have business interests (it has religious interests) in the Maldives. If Pak is also involved as claimed then the China factor is how they play in Maldives versus India. On their own Pak has little to offer the Maldives on development projects.

Maldives is a small economy. Would you please care to look up the investment patterns from Gulf and Pak in Maldives and in what? Even a Dawoodian investor would make good on the resorts. No one denies that China has an interest in backing up or using other anti-Indian interests. But that should not mean we have to totally deny the anti-Indian motivations from our Muslim neighbours, driven almost solely on a theological perception - and try to portray them as mere puppets in their anti-Indianism.

Bade · Post by **Bade** » 03 Dec 2012 00:45

I am not saying they are mere puppets. They are using China to their advantage. Now how do you propose India can fight Islamist tendencies in the Maldives ? One way is to deny that card if it can. If it can't then the game is up, as China will help Maldives needle India more.

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 03 Dec 2012 02:00

As shown in BD, even on the pain of economic loss - the elite and biz community of a rampant Islamist society can still obstruct Indian investment, simply because India is seen as a "Hindu" nation. Who do you propose should deny which card?

Bade · Post by **Bade** » 03 Dec 2012 02:13

In the Maldives case it is the China card, that is their alternative investment source other than the Saudis, right?

As a rabid anti-India nation that Maldives plans to evolve into, what can India do to change that course. It is their prerogative isnt't it ? If Bangladesh cannot be reformed and nor can a Hindu Nepal, then yes there is no hope other than to point at the obvious. But how does that change anything on the ground.

The only difference I see here is that Maldives is puny country and unlike Nepal does not border China, where the balancing is even more precarious. So arm twisting the Maldives has lesser blow back to India. The only non military option I can see is to thwart China from playing a role there. Saudis too, though I am not sure what they do there other than fund the usual suspects like they do everywhere including in India. As for Dawood types, well if India already has surrendered to two bit thug empires, nothing can save it from bigger fish or even wannabes like in Maldives.

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 03 Dec 2012 02:31

Bade wrote:In the Maldives case it is the China card, that is their alternative investment source other than the Saudis, right?

As a rabid anti-India nation that Maldives plans to evolve into, what can India do to change that course. It is their prerogative isnt't it ? If Bangladesh cannot be reformed and nor can a Hindu Nepal, then yes there is no hope other than to point at the obvious. But how does that change anything on the ground.

The only difference I see here is that Maldives is puny country and unlike Nepal does not border China, where the balancing is even more precarious. So arm twisting the Maldives has lesser blow back to India. The only non military option I can see is to thwart China from playing a role there. Saudis too, though I am not sure what they do there other than fund the usual suspects like they do everywhere including in India. As for Dawood types, well if India already has surrendered to two bit thug empires, nothing can save it from bigger fish or even wannabes like in Maldives.

Well, where else other than a Hindu majority country would you expect such strong support for anti-Hindu sentiments such as communism or Islamism? It is so shameful to be a h**** for some.

Especially when those two are shown in rashtryia propaganda as somehow glorious and elevated compared to the shameful h****. Those used to parroting other's logic, more of imperialist past masters - the better, will pride themselves in persisting to be Communist or Islamist. Also you might be contradicting those on the forum who have cited posts/info that seems to indicate everything hunky dory for India in Nepal.

If you really need to compare the two nations - India went for a prospective BIPPA with Nepal. But China goes in for such agreements as retroactive, as a state backed commercial enterprise. China is mostly radical capitalist state capitalism.

India could go in for a retroactive BIPPA version for Maldives. But its main shackle is India's recent bonhomie with the GCC, and perceived dependence on Gulf based investments. Weakening Maldivean islamists is dependent on breaking ist resource connections to Pakistan and the Gulf. That is very nearly impossible given current regime perceptions in India, and the lack of complete dominance of Arabian Sea by the Indian navy.

Sri · Post by **Sri** » 03 Dec 2012 10:30

Comment: India’s inconsistent commitment to Maldivian democracy cost the GMR deal

India’s decision to recognise the regime that took charge of the country after it toppled the Maldives’ first democratically elected government on February 7 shocked many. Of course, it would have been completely irrational to expect another ‘Operation Cactus’, but on diplomatic grounds India could have done better.

India should have foreseen the consequences its investments would later face in endorsing a regime consisting of elements that had previously shown its disapproval towards major Indian investments. India should have taken its time to assess the political situation of the country and should have confirmed the legitimacy of the controversial regime before accepting it.

devesh · Post by **devesh** » 03 Dec 2012 11:17

seems like the GMR fiasco is creating some waves. at least it seems to be setting off alarms in some sections.

kmkraoind · Post by **kmkraoind** » 03 Dec 2012 16:17

Maldives defies court order, to wrest GMR airport control

The government will take control of the airport, located in the capital Male, from Saturday, defence minister and acting transport minister Mohamed Nazim told a press conference.

Earlier today, Maldives president Mohamed Waheed’s press secretary Masood Imad told PTI that “The government’s decision is very clear. It is non-reversible and non-negotiable. Our decision was based on legal advice we got from our lawyers in UK and Singapore.”

However, when asked about Singapore court’s order, Imad said, “We believe the judge was incorrect in interpreting the law.”

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 03 Dec 2012 16:44

Fast moving situation - reports that MDP MP's (Nasheed's party) receiving death threats and are planning to seek asylum in the Indian embassy. Meanwhile they just got the opportunity to pass a no confidence motion in the parliament against the coup govt in a secret ballot.

Lilo · Post by **Lilo** » 03 Dec 2012 17:14

What stumps me is this urgency and brashness of the ruling dispensation in maldives to take an irreversible stand on banishing GMR while defying much of their own law. Generally one would expect lot of lengthy wheeling and dealing to happen before such decisions of major implications are announced..
The loss of credibility from the failure of implementing law in such scale will be quite disastrous for their economy - after all much of investment flows in maldives come from India.

So the question which begs for an answer is - what is the perceived source of strength for the Islamists and other anti india rabblerousers (especially the maldivian media) - did they get into some long term deal with some entity with deep pockets ?

If maldives falls out of indian circle of influence irrevocably under Islamist fueled popular sentiment - this will rank as one of the biggest intelligence failures for the Indian establishment.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 03 Dec 2012 18:34

For over a decade now, China has been enlarging its envelope in the Maldives and India has been unable to do much about that. But, for an even longer time, Islamism has been spreading there. The two are combining now to evict India. In the 50s, the West allied with Islamic nations to thwart spread of communism but that was not very successful. Th real threat comes now from some of these very same Islamic countries and the Communist power which has morphed now into an evil empire. Again, alliances are being formed in Indo-Pacific region, but, the continued neglect of countering the spread of Islamism and its nexus with the Chinese expansionism presents a grave danger to this alliance. Maldives has become a victim to the New Great Game being fought in the Indo-Pacific arena. I won't be surprised if Pakistan has played a sinister hand now as it has done countless times before.

Bade · Post by **Bade** » 03 Dec 2012 20:18

If pak-China wants a proxy war over Maldives, India should sign up and show up with full force. I see no other solution to this vexing problem. Time for sailing out for the Indian Navy very soon and show who controls IOR. Very interesting choices ahead for India and showing muscle should very much be on the cards to resolve this.

Johann · Post by **Johann** » 03 Dec 2012 23:22

Just had a friend come back from a holiday in the Maldives. Filled with boat loads of (newly minted) middle to upper middle class Chinese tourists.

The Chinese are irritating locals in same ways as the worst Western - trying to wander into mosques to take pictures while dressed in swimsuits. But its sometimes harder to defuse the situation because there's not much communication between the locals and the tourists - language is definitely a problem.

The real mark of Chinese influence will be when substantial numbers of people learn Mandarin, or go off to China to study in Chinese.

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 04 Dec 2012 00:28

@haaghee: #mvcoup At the Indian High Commission registering general security concerns to the High Commissioner. http://t.co/4WpQxDAj

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 04 Dec 2012 00:30

GMR miscalculated the UPA commitment to support Indian overseas businesses.No problem GMR will make it up inside India and UPA will let them do that.

Rony · Post by **Rony** » 04 Dec 2012 03:15

India freezes aid to Maldives, ties under stress

Upset at the Maldives government's attitude, India has put on hold $25-million budgetary commitment to Male, said reliable sources on Monday. Bilateral ties will be affected, said the sources. The Indian government is also studying the court order and its implications, said the sources.

The Maldives government on Wednesday had defended its decision to terminate the GMR contract, saying the deal was dogged by "legal, technical and economic issues". However, in the wake of reaction by the Maldives government on Monday, it seems legal issues were only the fig leaf behind which President Mohamed Waheed was hiding, the sources said.

In New Delhi's assessment, there are many vested interests at work, a veiled allusion to the increasing clout of a pro-China clique that is said to be close to the powers-that-be in Male and has influenced the decision to scrap the GMR contract.
What is more distressing to India, the sources added, is the way a commercial dispute has been used by some fringe elements and political parties in the Maldives to whip up anti-India sentiments. "It has become an election issue and it has ceased to be a purely commercial matter," said the sources.

prahaar · Post by **prahaar** » 04 Dec 2012 03:18

Cactus undone in one generation. Replacing Rajiv with Nero has paid.

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 04 Dec 2012 03:53

People do not believe when pointed out that Islamism works on a long term, inter-generational scheme. If Indian regime is waking up just now, then nothing more can be said - for Maldivean Islamization scheme had started in earnest as early as 1970's. The sending out of Maldivean students to Gulf and Paki madrassahs started in earnest in the 80's. By the 90's the first batches were returning - witha good deal of imbibing perhaps of the exhilerating and liberating or empowering winds blowing from Taleb shilwars.

The previous pro-India "secular" president was there when the Paki madrassah dynamic increased, in parallel to Saudi theologian influence increasing in the region.

This is the result of the politics of denial - of trying to protect the image of aprticular theology to such an insane degree that even foreign and rashtryia level policy cannot be changed in proper time, fearing a particualr community/theology's backlash. Now when the response is coming, its the worst possible time tactically.

With the "hindu" image, inspite of desperate and extreme measures taken by Indian dominant political wings to deny their "hinduness" - and lack of the forward-power-projection image of China, together with domestic electoral fears - GOI's moves will be immediately shown up as "big-power" bullying. Because of the prior islamophile build up within India, India is seen as easily succumbing before Islamist demands - a weak kaffir - and therefore the Maldivean Islamists will only harden their stance. They expect India to capitulate.

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 04 Dec 2012 05:39

They expect India to capitulate.

And India will and we have enough justifications to do so.

1. It is the democratic right of Maldivians to have a faith of their choice
2. They have the sovereign right to do business with whomever they want
3. We are a secular nation.
4. Since india is full of corruption there is a possibility of GmR having some dirty hands.
...

I hope Maldives adopts Shariya. That means no tourism or brothels or music. They can import food from Pakistan and GCC. India can export more beef, because cow-slaughter is secular.

And we are Bharat Rakshak

chanakyaa · Post by **chanakyaa** » 04 Dec 2012 07:10

If pak-China wants a proxy war over Maldives, India should sign up and show up with full force. I see no other solution to this vexing problem. Time for sailing out for the Indian Navy very soon and show who controls IOR. Very interesting choices ahead for India and showing muscle should very much be on the cards to resolve this.

On the note of showing strength, I recently watched the following movie in which force of unparalleled proportion was used on the tiny nation of Republic of Panama to protect the canal. Not suggesting that there is a parallel here, but it was interesting to see the extend to which massive massive force was used to protect trade interests. Must watch..

In spite of having 3rd largest muslim population in the world, we can't leverage them. So sad.

Sushupti · Post by **Sushupti** » 04 Dec 2012 08:40

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 04 Dec 2012 10:20

Perfect opportunity to do Granda on them and blow few Bitter Butts By Bombing the ungratefools.