Maldives will try to keep both China and India close

Significance Previously, he appeared keen to rebalance Maldivian foreign policy by moving away from the traditional pro-India approach and drawing closer to China. The renewed outreach to Delhi comes amid a mounting debt crisis in the Maldives. Impacts Muizzu’s government will rely heavily on external assistance to finance its development agenda. The opposition will increase pressure on the president to reduce government expenditure. India will highlight its support for the Maldives as it asserts its credentials as a ‘first responder’ in the Indian Ocean region.