Foreign Ministry denies Maldives-India LOC extension deal

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied claims of the government making a deal with the Indian government to award lands from Haa Dhaalu Atoll Hanimaadhoo and Laamu Atoll Gan in exchange for debt leniency.

The purported letter, which appears to be addressed to Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid by the Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, states that a total of 11 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) will be delivered through an additional USD 550 million line of credit, according to the original arrangement.

The letter allegedly to state that the vehicles would be operated by the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) to the extent of its capacity, which has been the customary practice so far.

The letter further appears to state that the government agreed to award a minimum of 15 hectares of land from Hanimaadhoo and Gan for 99 years to expand the Indian military's assistance to expand MNDF's capabilities. In return, the Indian government agreed to extend its line of credit up to USD 1.94 billion.

Additionally, according to the contents of the letter, the Indian government will be expiating Maldives' sovereign debt under the new agreement, which would provide relief to the inflated external debt.

While the Foreign Affairs Ministry denied the authenticity of the letter, the High Commission of India in the Maldives also refuted its validity via Twitter.

"We unequivocally reject and condemn this malicious attempt to malign and disturb the India-Maldives relations," the commission's tweet read.

Meanwhile, the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and People's National Congress (PNC) coalition, the main political opposition in the Maldives, expressed concern about the letter during a press conference held on Thursday.

At the press conference, PNC deputy leader and Maavashu MP Mohamed Saeed demanded that Minister Shahid explain the details of the letter to the public, especially with the presidential election just days away.

The MP also disregarded the government's claims of the letter's illegitimacy.