Referring to security and development assistance provided to the Indian Ocean archipelago by New Delhi, external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told a regular media briefing that the Indian side’s cooperation with the Maldives is based on jointly addressing shared challenges and priorities.

While responding to several questions on the Belt and Road Forum hosted by China and Muizzu’s comments endorsing the BRI, Bagchi said that India’s position on BRI, including the programme’s “lack of respect for our sovereignty and territorial integrity are well known and consistent”.

ALSO READ: India reiterates opposition to China’s BRI, supports programmes in Maldives

Bagchi added that unlike in the past, India had not been invited by China to this year’s Belt and Road Forum. “I don’t think we received an invitation this year,” he said.

It is known that India had opted to stay out of the BRI since a key section of the massive infrastructure project – the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) – runs through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. India believes the programme does not offer a level playing field to non-Chinese companies.

Pointing out to a statement issued by India in May 2017, when the first Belt and Road Forum was held, Bagchi said that India still opposes BRI and the country’s “concerns still stand today”. Parts of CPEC pass through territories that are in “illegal occupation of Pakistan” and this amounts to a violation of India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, he said.

This year’s Belt and Road Forum marks the 10th anniversary of BRI and the event in Beijing was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin just weeks after he skipped the G20 Summit hosted by India. Bagchi said India is “loathe to link G20 participation with other things” and noted that India had invited all G20 members to the summit in New Delhi.

Supports programmes in Maldives:

Responding to questions about the Maldives’ president-elect endorsing the BRI and pledging to remove Indian military personnel from the archipelago, Bagchi said: “The assistance and platforms that we have provided have contributed significantly in areas like people’s welfare, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and combating illegal maritime activities.”

Over the past five years, more than 500 medical evacuations were carried out by Indian personnel, saving 523 Maldivian lives, Bagchi said.

Out of these, 131 evacuations were carried out in 2023, 140 in 2022, and 109 in 2021. During the same period, more than 450 “multifaceted missions” were carried out to safeguard the maritime security of the Maldives, including 122 missions in 2022, 152 in 2021, and 124 in 2020.

“We look forward to continuing our cooperation and partnership with the Maldives, which is multifaceted, which covers areas of benefit to the Maldivian people, particularly humanitarian assistance, welfare (and) disaster relief,” Bagchi said.

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Updated: 19 Oct 2023, 11:00 PM IST