Maldives bans ‘India Out’ Campaign

Amid the “India Out” campaign that has been roiling Maldives for months, its President Ibrahim Mohammed Solih issued a decree banning protests against the country, citing a threat to national security.

Context

Amid the “India Out” campaign that has been roiling Maldives for months, its President Ibrahim Mohammed Solih issued a decree banning protests against the country, citing a threat to national security.

About ‘India Out’ campaign 

• ‘India Out’ campaign in Maldives had started sometime last year as on-ground protests in the Maldives and later widely spread across social media platforms under the same hashtag.
• It is not related to people-to-people conflict (Indian diaspora) but is discontent on close relationship between Maldivian government & India.

About India-Maldives Relations

• Both nations were Britain colonies.
  • India was among the first to recognise Maldives after its independence in 1965 and to establish diplomatic relations with the country. 
• India established its mission at Malé in 1972.
• India and Maldives share ethnic, linguistic, cultural, religious and commercial links steeped in antiquity and enjoy cordial and multi-dimensional relations.
• India and Maldives are neighbors sharing a maritime border.
• Both nations established diplomatic relations after the independence of Maldives from British rule in 1966.
• India was one of the first nations to recognize Maldives’ independence.
• Since then, India and Maldives have developed close strategic, military, economic and cultural relations.
• Maldivians generally regard Indians and India as a friend and trusted neighbor in the field economic, social and political.