India, Maldives look to reset ties after troops expelled

MALÉ — India's top diplomat has called the Maldives a "priority" for New Delhi on his first trip to the archipelago nation since its pro-China president expelled Indian troops.External Affairs Ministry Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said on Friday night he was in the Maldives to "take stock of our defense and security engagement," months after President Mohamed Muizzu's administration signed a military assistance pact with Beijing.Known as a luxury holiday destination with pristine white sand beaches and secluded resorts, the atoll nation has also become a geopolitical hot spot.India is suspicious of China's growing presence in the Indian Ocean, and Malé's military deal with Beijing came as Muizzu ordered a garrison of Indian soldiers stationed in the Maldives to assist with maritime patrols to leave.Jaishankar, who will also meet Muizzu, said he wanted to highlight India's "continued support to the Maldives in its quest for progress and prosperity."Global east-west shipping lanes pass the nation's chain of 1,192 tiny coral islands, stretching about 800 kilometers (500 miles) across the equator.India's government has traditionally considered the Maldives, home to about half a million people, within its sphere of influence."For India, neighborhood is a priority, and in the neighborhood, Maldives is a priority," Jaishankar said in a speech on Friday.In a statement, Malé's Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer called India "one of our closest friends."Zameer said the two countries had agreed to strengthen economic ties, adding that Muizzu had asked to "begin negotiations" on a free trade agreement with New Delhi.Defense links were also discussed, including "continuing joint exercises and expanding training opportunities for officers," the official said.In June, Muizzu visited New Delhi for Narendra Modi's inauguration as prime minister.Muizzu's election successes hinged on a sustained campaign against India's outsized political and economic clout in the Maldives.Its influence has been a periodic source of resentment in the Muslim-majority nation.