Maldives would do nothing that threatens
the security of India- Nasheed
President
Mohamed Nasheed has said that the Maldivian government would never do anything
that threatens the security of the neighbouring India.
Speaking at the
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth of Australia, President
Nasheed said that Maldives would not do anything that threatens India. He said
this in a time when Indian newspapers reported concerns of the Indian government
over the efforts of China expand their influence in the Indian Ocean by pushing
to win many development projects and to establish an embassy in the Maldives.
President Nasheed said that
India would always remain as a friend of the Maldives. India being the biggest
democracy, the President said that he trusts democracy more than any other
system.
"I can assure all Indians
that Maldives will always be India's friend. India has always assisted us in
times of stress, and will do so in the future," he said.
Meanwhile, India’s largest
independent news wire, Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) reported that “there has
been some concern in the Indian security establishment over what is seen as a
Chinese attempt in the recent past to extend its influence in the 1,190-island
nation that is strategically located along major sea lanes of the Indian Ocean.”
India's security establishment has been viewing
with concern China's bid to expand its role in the Indian Ocean by building
maritime links with countries such as Seychelles, Mauritius, the Maldives and
Sri Lanka so as to protect its energy imports, reports IANS.
IANS also said that “India has also been
augmenting its defence ties with countries like the Maldives, Mauritius and
Seychelles. Its navy has, in fact, been helping the Maldives with maritime
patrol. It is also helping the country set up a network of radars.”