President Yamee's India trip: a step to recovering old ties

Indian newspapers have reported that President Abdulla Yameen’s trip to India set for from 23 to 25 December will be a step towards repairing the relationship between the two countries that has been impaired over the past two years of rocky Maldivian politics.

The Hindhu reports that the recovery process will begin during Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim’s visit to India next week, when India will formally hand over an indigenously made helicopter for surveillance and domain awareness operations in northern.

The Hindhu also says that the Defence Minister’s visit could also see the donation of a landing craft to Maldives.

During President Yameen’s visit, both sides would be signing a package of measures to resume projects that seem to have halted after Mohamed Nasheed was stepped down from presidency in February 2012.

However, the Hindhu says that the Indian corporates that felt they were wronged by Dr Mohamed Waheed’s government, among them is the cancellation of the GMR contract, Tata Housing’s real estate project and Tattva Global’s contract for waste management, are hoping their concerns will also presented to President Yameen.

But a senior official at the Indian High Commission in the Male’ said that they unaware of any scheduled discussion over GMR during President Yameen’s visit.

President Yameen’s decision to make India the destination for his first overseas visit has been regarded as a reach for reconciliation by the new Maldivian government.