Hello everyone! Today, we will be discussing Afcons, an Indian company, has signed a contract for the largest-ever infrastructure project in Maldives which is “the Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP)”.
The project has been under discussion since the visit of India’s External Affairs Minister to Male in September 2019 and is the result of bilateral consultation between India and the Maldives.
Greater Male Connectivity Project:
Male and adjacent islands Villingli, Gulhifalhu, and Thilafushi will be connected by a 6.74 km-long bridge. Energy from renewable sources will be used in its construction.
In a boost to ties, India and Maldives signed a contract on the mega Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP), the largest infrastructure project in the country.
In one of the major connectivity initiatives abroad, the project is supported by an Indian grant of USD 100 million and a USD 400 million Line of Credit (LOC).
In addition to being India’s largest project in the Maldives, it is the Maldives’ largest infrastructure project overall.
Ministers of National Planning and Infrastructure Mohamed Aslam, Economic Development Fayyaz Ismail, Finance Ibrahim Ameer, and Transport Aishath Nahula, as well as Indian High Commissioner Sunjay Sudhir and top executives from AFCONS, were in attendance at the signing ceremony on Tuesday.
Here’s a look at all the details about this new project and what it means for India-Maldives relations.
Significance of the Project:
The scheme is composed of three navigation bridges of 140 m main span across the deep channel between each island, 1.41 kilometers of the marine viaduct in deep water, the 2.32-kilometer marine viaduct in shallow water or on land, and 2.96 km of at-grade roads.
As the Maldives’ economic lifeline, it will improve the connection between the four islands, which account for roughly half of the Maldivian nation’s population.
Transportation and commercial activity in these islands will be more dynamic as a result.
According to Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid, the initiative was initiated during Union External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar’s September 2019 Maldives trip.
According to the Maldives’ foreign minister Abdulla Shahid “This is a major initiative of President Solih’s administration. A lasting emblem of the India-Maldives friendship, it will stand for generations to come. It is the country’s largest infrastructure project to date. In this initiative, consumers will be able to engage with businesses and industries.”
India-Maldives-China:
While the Sinamale Bridge, built with Chinese aid and finished in 2018, connects Male to Hulhumale, the GMCP project would be larger. Indian funding to the Maldives in August 2020 was also welcomed and contrasted with China’s prior expensive commercial loans to the Maldives, described as “debt-trap diplomacy.”
As a result of this, China purposefully lends excessive credit to another nation in order to obtain economic or political concessions from the debtor country.
It was a blow to the India-Maldives relationship when the Maldives signed a Free-Trade Agreement (FTA) with China in 2017.
Relationships have improved with the election of a new pro-Indian administration in the Maldives and Maldives is considering withdrawing from the FTA with China. Water and sewerage projects on 34 islands, a port at Gulhifalhu, an airport renovation at Hanimaadhoo, and a hospital and cricket stadium in Hulhumale are among the current India-supported projects in the region.
In December 2018, India announced an 800 million USD line of credit for the Maldives.
Recent Developments:
- Security Cooperation: India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives had agreed to cooperate on the “four pillars” of security cooperation earlier in August 2021 in a meeting sponsored by Sri Lanka at the Deputy National Security Advisor level.
- UNGA President: For the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA76th)’s session, which will take place in 2021-22, India hailed the election of the Maldives’ Foreign Minister as its new president in June 2021.
- Mou’s: Four Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) will be signed between India and the Maldives in November 2020, relating to High Impact Community Development Projects and Cooperation in Sports and Youth Affairs, respectively.
- Relief Package: The Maldives received a five-pronged package from India in August 2020 to assist them to deal with the economic consequences of the Covid-19 epidemic.
- Bilateral Bubble: In the Covid-19 epidemic, India’s bilateral air bubble began with the Maldives, the first South Asian country to do so.
- Bilateral Visits: There have been a number of bilateral visits between India and the Maldives since September 2018.
The Indian Prime Minister visited the Maldives to attend President Solih’s swearing-in ceremony.
In December 2018, the Maldives President also visited India.
A meeting between the Maldives and India’s interior ministers is scheduled for February 2020.
Members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation, respectively, are the Maldives and India (SASEC).
Way Improve:
India and the Maldives are not the only countries involved in this enormous undertaking. Construction must be completed by 2023 according to the conditions of the deal.
There may be concerns in the Maldives about India’s ability to deliver on its promises if it can demonstrate that it can do so. India remains a dedicated development partner for a stable, prosperous, and peaceful Maldives, in accordance with the government’s Neighbourhood First Policy.
Given the economic hardships being faced by the Maldives due to the Covid-19 pandemic and previous debts, this project and previous packages will definitely warm up the relationship between both countries. As a result, India will have a strategic advantage over China in relation to the Maldives.
Numerous foreign policy analysts believe that this project would not have come to fruition prior to 2018, due to the Maldives’ pro-China stance during Abdulla Yameen’s administration. President Solih took office in November 2018, and India and the Maldives have developed solid bilateral relations since that time, though.
As a result, many people feel that the project is a subliminal method for the United States to challenge China’s dominance in the region and to assert its own presence once again
In a country where anti-India sentiments are still prevalent, the project would also help garner favor.
Indians were demonized in recent years, with social media campaigns such as “India Out” being launched against the country. The reason behind the campaign stemmed from the fact that locals viewed the presence of India’s military in the country as a threat.
India’s lending hand to the Maldives:
The GMCP is not the only connection that binds India with the Maldives; India has also provided the Maldives with aid and financial support.
When the coronavirus epidemic broke out in the Maldives, India provided the Maldivian government $250 million to help minimize the effects. A total of 1,00,000 COVID-19 vaccinations were also given to the country. Indian nationals have been able to go to the Maldives since July 15, when the country’s borders were opened.
There are additional infrastructure projects that India has been involved in that have benefited the host country. Addu has roads and reclamation projects, as well as expansion of fishing plants, a cricket stadium in Hulhumalé, and a water and sanitation project on 34 islands.
India is proud to be a key development partner of Maldives. Deeply committed to its national progress.
Important Points:
President of the Maldives: Ibrahim Mohamed Solih;
Capital of Maldives: Male; Currency of the Maldives: Maldivian Rufiyaa.
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