India Says It Is Closely Monitoring Maldives–Pakistan Agreements
- India said it is closely monitoring the Maldives–Pakistan cooperation agreements, including separate defence and maritime security MoUs, and would act if necessary.
- President Muizzu's state visit to Pakistan from 20–22 October produced 20 MoUs spanning healthcare, education, fisheries, tourism, aviation and security, plus a USD 200 million trade target.
- India remains a major Maldivian partner, with the July 2025 USD 565 million credit line and a recent INR 30 billion currency swap rollover.
India has said it is closely monitoring developments following the exchange of cooperation agreements between the Maldives and Pakistan, including separate arrangements on defence and maritime security.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal made the remarks at a press briefing on 23 October, responding to a question about President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s visit to Pakistan and his call to revive the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
Jaiswal said India was keeping a close watch on developments and would take appropriate steps if necessary. He did not specify what those measures might involve or offer a detailed assessment of the agreements.
On SAARC, Jaiswal reiterated India’s support for stronger connectivity across South Asia. He declined to repeat the reasons for the organisation’s prolonged inactivity or identify the country responsible for its current position.
The response followed President Muizzu’s state visit to Pakistan from 20 to 22 October. During the visit, President Muizzu and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif witnessed the exchange of 20 Memoranda of Understanding covering areas including healthcare, education, agriculture, fisheries, tourism, aviation and security.
The President’s Office lists defence cooperation and maritime security as two separate MoUs. Both were exchanged by Minister of Defence and National Service Hassan Rasheed and Pakistan’s Federal Secretary of Defence, Lieutenant General (Retired) Mohamed Ali. The published announcement identifies their subject areas but provides limited detail on their operational scope.
The two governments also agreed to pursue a USD 200 million bilateral trade target within two years. Pakistan announced additional scholarships for Maldivian students, while President Muizzu outlined plans for Maldivian to establish a direct Malé–Karachi air link.
India’s response brings official scrutiny to the security dimension of that expanding partnership. Its implications for Maldives–India relations will depend partly on how the agreements are implemented and whether they affect existing cooperation with New Delhi.
India remains a major partner across financial support, infrastructure, healthcare, essential supplies and maritime security. President Muizzu’s October 2024 visit to India established a framework for a Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership, following earlier tensions over the presence of Indian military personnel in the Maldives.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Maldives in July 2025 further developed that cooperation. During the visit, President Muizzu announced a USD 565 million Indian line of credit for priority projects across sectors including housing, healthcare, education and defence.
More recently, India announced the first rollover of the Maldives’ INR 30 billion currency swap withdrawal on 16 October, effective from 23 October, following a request from the Maldivian government.
Maritime cooperation also continued during President Muizzu’s Pakistan visit. India’s Ministry of Defence confirmed that INS Tir, INS Sujata and Indian Coast Guard Ship Sarathi arrived off Malé on 21 October, the same day the Maldives–Pakistan MoUs were exchanged.
The squadron’s senior officer met Maldivian defence and coast guard leaders, while trainees visited the Girifushi Training Centre. These engagements demonstrate that operational cooperation with India continued alongside the Maldives’ outreach to Pakistan.
President Muizzu’s appeal for an early SAARC summit faces a separate regional obstacle. The organisation has held no summit since Kathmandu in 2014, while the planned Islamabad summit in 2016 was postponed following India’s decision not to participate and withdrawals by other members.
In his published statement in Islamabad, President Muizzu expressed readiness to work with all SAARC member states to create the conditions for another summit. Convening one would require wider political agreement across the association, whose decisions are taken unanimously.
