Maldives has declined India's invitation to participate in a naval exercise, called ‘Milan,’ in an apparent snub to New Delhi, even as the Maldivian envoy to India said his country cannot participate because of the emergency situation back home.
Maldivian Ambassador Ahmed Mohamed also asserted that the two nations enjoy a history of excellent defence and military cooperation, a tradition which they are confident will endure and continue indefinitely, remarks which are seen as an attempt to assuage feelings here.
Ties between India and Maldives nosedived after Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen declared emergency on February 5 following an order by the country's Supreme Court to release a group of Opposition leaders, who had been convicted in widely criticised trials.
India will host navies from at least 16 countries for an eight-day mega naval exercise from 6 March, with the aim to expand regional cooperation and combat unlawful activities in critical sea lanes.
The biennial exercise 'Milan' is being organised at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the backdrop of China's growing military posturing in the Indo-Pacific region and officials said the issue is likely to figure during deliberations among navy chiefs of the participating countries at the event.
The countries which are participating in the exercise include Australia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, New Zealand, Oman, Vietnam, Thailand, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, and Cambodia.
Besides fostering cooperation through naval exercises and professional interactions, the Navy said 'Milan' will also provide an opportunity to the participating navies to nurture stronger ties in dealing with various security challenges.
India, the US and several other nations have been pressing for freedom of navigation in the disputed South China Sea.
‘We Are Monitoring Chinese Ships in Indian Ocean'
Officials said China's military manoeuvres in the South China Sea may figure during discussions among navy chiefs of the participating countries at the event.
In November, India, the US, Australia and Japan gave shape to the long-pending quadrilateral coalition to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of Chinese influence.
'Milan' was first held in 1995 with the participation of just five navies. The aim of the initiative was to have an effective forum to discuss common concerns in the Indian Ocean Region and forge deeper cooperation among friendly navies.
The exercise is being hosted by the Indian Navy under the aegis of the Andaman and Nicobar Command.
When asked about the presence of Chinese ships in the Indo-Pacific region, an official said,
‘The deployment of ships by China’s Navy has been since 2008. At any point of time, there are 6-8 ships in the region. We monitor them and know what is happening. There is no cause for concern. It is standard deployment in the Indian Ocean. As per what we have monitored, there is no change in it in the last few years. We are well aware of what is happening.’
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