Reports from India indicate the country is looking to restart its projects in Maldives following Indian Prime Minister Modi's upcoming visit scheduled for November 17, to attend President-Elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's presidential inauguration ceremony.
According to the Indian news agency, 'Economic Times', the projects have been stalled under the regime of President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.
Furthermore, the Indian news highlighted that the incumbent had stalled a training academy for the Maldivian armed forces and that the government had refused to extend visas for Indian professionals, nor implement initiatives put forward by India's private sector.
India's then Defence Minister, A.K Antony laid the foundations for a 'Composite Training Centre' in Maafilaafushi, Lhaviyani Atoll during an official trip to the Maldives in 2012. A company was outsourced to manage the centre in 2014.
'Economic Times' mentioned that President-Elect Solih signaled an "India first" foreign policy and that "there are indications that the new government will safeguard India’s security interests in the region, including disallowing any Chinese military base in the archipelago nation."
Indian media regard inter-governmental relations between the two as having 'soured' of late, however, both countries have maintained that their relationship has not deteriorated.
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