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Maldivian parliamentary panel to probe 3 agreements signed with India
The panel’s decision coincided with Muizzu’s visit to India to participate in the inauguration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term
NEW DELHI: A Maldivian parliamentary committee decided on Monday to review three agreements signed by former president Ibrahim Solih’s administration with India, including a pact to develop a naval base.
The parliamentary panel overseeing the activities of the security services accepted a proposal by Ahmed Azaan, a parliamentarian from President Mohamed Muizzu’s People’s National Congress (PNC) party, to probe the three agreements.
“Today, the National Security Services Committee of the parliament has decided to conduct a parliamentary inquiry to investigate actions undertaken by President @ibusolih‘s administration that undermined the sovereignty and independence of the Maldives,” Azaan said in a post on X.
The panel’s decision coincided with Muizzu’s visit to India to participate in the inauguration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term. Muizzu met Modi and Union minister S Jaishankar in the Indian capital and discussed the strengthening of cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
There was no reaction to the development from Indian officials.
Azaan initially suggested the parliamentary panel should investigate all agreements signed by the former administration with India. Other members of the panel said it would be better to identify some specific agreements for a review.
He then proposed that the panel investigate a 2019 agreement with India on conducting hydrographic surveys, an agreement to develop the Uthuru Thila Falhu naval base, and an agreement whereby India gifted a Dornier aircraft to the Maldives.
Muizzu’s government has already decided to scrap the agreement on hydrographic surveys. Azaan, however, questioned why the Solih government signed these agreements. He also expressed concerns about the agreement on the naval base and said he wanted to know why the Maldives National Defence Force’s senior leadership was not consulted on this matter.
Azaan proposed that a sub-committee should be appointed to examine these agreements and any other actions of the previous government that jeopardised the sovereignty of the Maldives.
The parliamentary panel subsequently set up a sub-committee comprising four MPs, including Azaan. It was not clear when the sub-committee would present its findings.
