Ibrahim Mohamed Solih defeated Yameen Abdul Gayoom.
Ibrahim Mohamed Solih won the presidential election, defeating President Abdulla Yameen who is known to be close to China.
Solih has been a long-standing aide of pro-India politician and former President Mohamed Nasheed.
Yameen Abdul Gayoom (former President) backed by China loses in the election.
ABOUT MALDIVES
The Maldives is an important country in the Indian Ocean region.
Its group of small islands.
Small country.
Because of its strategic location in the Indian ocean, it is important to India.
Member of SAARC(not active)
The Maldives was a Commonwealth republic from July 1982 until its withdrawal from the Commonwealth in October 2016.
Left commonwealth group
INDIA- MALDIVES TENSION
INDIA- MALDIVES needed each other to help.
INDIA- MALDIVES were good friends until Yameen Abdul Gayoom came in power in 2013.
PM Modi in 2014 called him in his swearing ceremony.
Yameen made many step against India.
Yameen Abdul was pro-China and pro-Pakistan.
Yameen Abdul Gayoom officials were opposing him so, he put them(opposition leaders) in jail.
DIFFICULTIES FOR INDIA
Yameen Abdul took many steps against India and signed MoU with Pakistan.
Cancelled work permits of Indians working in the Maldives.
Free trade agreement of the Maldives with China, resulting china market overcoming the Maldives market.
India helped the Maldives a lot.
China was seen as dictating the foreign policy of Maldives under Yameen Abdul Gayoom making India’s strategic position vulnerable in the Indian Ocean.
ABDULLA YAMEEN
6th president to the Maldives.
Political party -Progressive Party of Maldives. (lost the elections)
ELECTION RESULT IN MALDIVES
With Ibrahim Mohamed Solih now set to replace Abdulla Yameen, there may be a new dawn on the horizon.
They want to balance trade between India and China.
During his door-to-door campaign, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih promised that he would repair relations with the neighbours and India First foreign policy would be reinstated.
TROUBLE FOR CHINA
Under Mr Yameen, the Maldives has also welcomed Chinese money for major projects and signed a free trade agreement. More tourists from China now visit the Maldives than from any other country.
Solih’s Maldivian Democratic Party has taken an anti -China stance.
Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed previously claimed China has pilled his County into a “debt trap”.
Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed supports India.
The Maldives is a key battleground in the rivalry between China and India.
NOTE:
Maldives is not part of RCEP.
Now, with the win, Maldives can set an free trade agreement with India.
The Maldives now can do Naval and Military exercise with India.
Historic victory for the Maldives.
WAS IT A FAIR ELECTION?
The US and European Union had threatened sanction Yameen and Members of his govt if they were seen to be interfering in the polls.
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