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Beyond Realpolitik: Enlisting the Maldives into the U.S. Indo-Pacific Vision
In February 2020, then-U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo visited the Maldives to announce plans to open a resident U.S. embassy in the country. That same year, the United States also entered into a "Framework for Defense Cooperation" with the…
India’s Ambitions in the Indian Ocean Region
Over the last two decades, China has significantly enhanced its presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Beijing’s expanding diplomatic, economic, and military engagements have generated considerable anxiety about China’s increasing ambitions in the region. Beijing recently hosted a China-Indian Ocean Region…
Maldives’ Chagos Conundrum: Continuing Inconsistency and its Politicization
On October 17, 2022, the International Tribunal For the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) began hearing the dispute over the overlapping Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) between Mauritius and the Maldives. During the proceedings, the Maldives revealed its new position of recognizing Mauritius’ sovereignty…
“India Out” of the Maldives: Online Campaign to Top Electoral Issue
On June 22, “India Out” supporters disrupted the International Day for Yoga event at the Maldives National Stadium in Male. Video footage of the incident captured by Maldivian media shows angry men carrying white flags with black Shahada (the Muslim…
While India Makes Inroads in the Maldives, China Stays
In August 2020 India extended USD $500 million in aid to buttress a connectivity project in the Maldives. The package consisted of a USD $100 million grant and a USD $400 million line of credit. The loan is intended to…
Strengthening the Indian Chakravyuh: Optimizing India’s Strategic Advantages in the Maritime Domain
On November 5, 2018 Rear Admiral (retd.) William McQuilkin assessed Indian maritime strategy in the Indian Ocean Region, and strategic options for greater Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), sea control, and power projection. Given the current Sino-Indian crisis and consideration of…