India has increased the quota of essential commodities exported to the Maldives, despite strained relations between the Indian Ocean neighbours and the island nation’s recent pivot towards a China-centric foreign policy.
The Indian High Commission in the Maldives said in a statement that this is the largest ever quota increase under the 1981 Agreement on Trade Cooperation between the two nations.
India has also assured the Maldives that it will provide basic commodities at concessional prices.
Indian major imports to Maldives in terms of basic commodities include onions, rice, sugar, flour, potatoes, eggs and lentils. India has also consistently made exceptions for the import of gravel and sand aggregate.
India has now allocated to the Maldives124,000 metric tons of rice, 109,000 metric tons of flour, 64,000 metric tons of sugar, 21,000 metric tons of potatoes, 36,000 metric tons of onions, 428 million eggs, 224 metric tons of lentils as well as 1 million metric tonnes each of gravel and sand aggregate.
India has increased its basic food quota to the Maldives by five percent, with the quota for gravel and sand aggregate increased by 25 percent.
Upon request from the Maldives, India extended the Agreement on Trade Cooperation, which was last renewed in 2021, for two additional years in February of this year.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer has received criticism after a social media post thanking India for their consideration in increasing the quota.
“I sincerely thank EAM [External Affairs Minister] @DrSJaishankar [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar] and the Government of #India for the renewal of the quota to enable #Maldives to import essential commodities from India during the years 2024 and 2025. This is truly a gesture which signifies the longstanding friendship, and the strong commitment to further expand bilateral trade and commerce between our two countries,” Zameer posted on social media.
However, Zameer’s post drew wide criticism from home and India.
Some highlighted the ‘India Out’ campaign — and related incidents by current administration-aligned activists and officials — which was significantly credited for delivering the election win for President Mohamed Muizzu. Muizzu’s campaign platform leaned heavily on the narrative of maintaining national sovereignty by removing foreign forces from within the country’s borders, which had widely been interpreted as the removal of Indian military personnel from the Maldives.
While many Maldivians conscientiously criticised the administration for its perceived anti-India stance by pointing to the India Out movement, Indians, as well as other observers, criticised actions by current administration officials who had ridiculed top Indian state officials.
Social media users likened the recent development to the administration now having to eat their own words, with one quipping “India wasn’t out,” while others questioned when the administration’s promised staples supplies from Türkiye would materialise. Muizzu had earlier signalled an arrangement with Türkiye.
The president was also criticised for likening India to a bully.
India’s External Affairs Minister Jaishankar was, however, pragmatic in his reply to Zameer.
“You are welcome, FM @MoosaZameer [Zameer]. India stands firmly committed to its Neighbourhood First and SAGAR policies,” Jaishankar said.
SAGAR, or Security and Growth for All in the Region, is India’s policy of maritime cooperation within the Indian Ocean region.
Additional reporting by Ibrahim H. Shihab