Geopolitical shifts: China’s growing influence in the Indian Ocean
In early October, Mohamed Muizzu was elected as the new president of the Maldives. He is committed to closer ties with China and will replace the current president, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Solih, who run the country as president since 2018, has been maintaining close relations with India. The change in government is not only relevant in the regional context. The Maldives, strategically positioned in the southwest of Sri Lanka and India, play a crucial geopolitical role. Any change in alignment by the country could have major consequences for neighboring nations and those with interests in the Indian Ocean.
The new president Muizzu insists that he is not pro-China and that he supports an independent Maldives. However, just a few days after his election victory, Muizzu met with the Indian ambassador in Malé and demanded the withdrawal of all Indian soldiers after his inauguration in November. This move may lead to diplomatic tensions with Delhi and potentially trigger geopolitical shifts in the Indian Ocean. Shortly after the election, President Xi Jingping announced that he attaches “great importance to the development of bilateral relations and stands ready to [...] forward the traditional friendship and deepen practical cooperation."

Samuel Eicher

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Mohamed Muizzu: The Maldives' new president wants India out, BBC News