Country
Maldives
Maldives Grapples with Repatriation Amidst Rising Religious Extremism
By Mimrah Abdul Ghafoor
The Muizzu government will repatriate 21 Maldivians, primarily widows and children of foreign terrorist fighters, from a refugee camp near the Turkey-Syria border.
What the China-Maldives-India Triangle Tells Us About 21st Century Balancing
By Ovigwe Eguegu
Is India really “out” and China “in” for the Maldives? And what does this case tell us about the emerging approach of smaller states in great power competition?
Maldives’ Muizzu Throws in With China
By Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan
Malé is playing India and China against each other and trying to get the best deal, but Muizzu appears to have gone a bit overboard this time.
Maldives Signals Tilt Toward China
By Mimrah Abdul Ghafoor
Yet, India is a powerful neighbor, one that plays a major role in the Maldivian economy. How long can President Muizzu sustain this path without taking steps to ease tensions?
India-Maldives War of Words on Social Media Triggers Diplomatic Row
By Sudha Ramachandran
Neither Modi nor Muizzu can absolve themselves of responsibility for the spat.
The State of South Asia in 2023
By Mimrah Abdul Ghafoor
The year was dominated by elections, and political and economic instability. Amid the bad news, India landed a spacecraft near the Moon’s south pole.
Rift Between Muizzu and Yameen Injects Fresh Tensions Into Maldives’ Politics
By Mimrah Abdul Ghafoor
The animosity between the two former allies resembles the tensions that arose between former Presidents Mohamed Nasheed and Ibrahim Solih during the latter’s presidency.
Will Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu Tilt Towards China?
By Nalinie Sharma
He can be expected to adopt a more independent, balanced and diversified foreign policy rather than a pro-China one.
Daniel Bosley on the Maldivian State, Gangs, Religious Radicals, and Power Brokers
By Sudha Ramachandran
“If the country experiences another five years of anarchy under the PPM and its allies,” many Maldivians will view “the suppressed stability of Gayoom’s presidency with rose-tinted glasses.”
India-Maldives Relations Enter Choppy Waters
By Sudha Ramachandran
Maldivian President Muizzu has called for the removal of Indian military personnel from the archipelago and has threatened to review agreements with India.
The Gulf’s Growing Influence Over the Maldives
By Mimrah Abdul Ghafoor
The Indian Ocean archipelago is seeking greater economic investment from Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The Past, Present, and Future of Maldivian Democracy
By Mimrah Abdul Ghafoor
No Maldivian government since 2008 has fully adhered to democratic norms. Will President-elect Muizzu break this pattern?