India’s Budget 2024 Spells Impeachment for Muizzu in Maldives?

Maldives made a huge error by allowing a zealot like Muizzu to take Presidential office! India’s Budget 2024 had a few surprises for this island nation. Diplomacy met drama, and the Maldives, under the leadership of President Mohamed Muizzu, became the latest star in the theater of geopolitical blunders.

From misplaced bravado to questionable alliances, Muizzu’s antics have left its citizens in turmoil. Global analysts and observers are laughing their heads off in amusement and bewilderment at this black demo in geopolitics. Let’s talk about how India’s Budget 2024 may spell impeachment for Muizzu!

India Out, Aid Out, Tourists Out: Muizzu’s Great Blunder

In a move that rivals Bollywood in plot twists, Muizzu’s ‘India Out’ campaign has backfired spectacularly.

India’s Budget 2024 reduced its developmental assistance to the Maldives by 22%.

This significant reduction in aid from its erstwhile benefactor makes Muizzu’s government face severe consequences at home. Consequently, the Muizzu’s government finds itself grappling with a revolt from traders, businessmen, opposition parties, and ruling party members alike.

Here is a list of the number of times India bailed out the Maldivians:

• 2018: $140 million in development projects and other aids leading to a total of $640million
• 2019: $80 million in grants, $155 million in High Impact Community Development Projects(HICDPs), and a $800 million Line of Credit. Leading to a total of $1035 million in aid and loans.
• 2020: $250 million in Line of Credit.
• 2022: $100 million in Grants and development projects. A total of ₹180 million in grants and loans.
• 2023: $40 million in Sports infrastructure and other projects. The total loans and aid shot to ₹771 million.

Guess, India has been a good neighbor! However, Maldives is the dog that bit the hand that feeds it!!

Adding insult to injury, the fallout from Muizzu’s anti-India rhetoric takes a toll on the Maldivian tourism sector.

India was leading the tourist charts in the Maldives till December 2023!

After the spike in hostility initiated by the Maldivian government, their numbers significantly reduced to take up the fifth spot in the list.

Seems like Indian tourists have chosen to take their money elsewhere!

While Muizzu’s camp continues to hurl derogatory remarks at the Indian PM and the nation at large, the common Maldivian is suffering the brunt of this political tussle. With tensions simmering and bridges burning, Maldives risks alienating its most lucrative source of revenue and its first responder friend!

Perilous Politics: Maldives Hacked, Sacked, And In the Chinese Bag 

Muizzu brazenly asks Indian defense forces to vacate the island nation, the first batch will leave on 10th March. This move strains the relations. Is Muizzu set to be enemies with an erstwhile ally? No formal apology was issued for the MPs’ derogatory remarks on PM Modi or India. Consequently, the diplomatic repercussions were swift and severe. Good samaritans hacked Maldivian websites. Bollywood and tourists rejected Maldives as a destination.

What are the consequences of ‘India Out’?

Reduced aid, decreased tourist footfall, and no one to hold their hand in times of need.

The thick-skinned Muizzu broke from tradition to tour Turkey and then China as its first official visit. His visits were aimed at seeking solace and support from probable allies. An ISIS sympathizer and probable enabler, this zealot Muizzu went on bended knees to beg China to bolster its tourist traction. The enraged tourist associations and businesses are ready to take Muizzu to task for their loss. To save his political skin, he signed several MOUs with China in a bid to offset the loss of Indian aid and tourists. However, history has shown the true colors of China with Sri Lanka’s debt trap debacle. Thus, unlike the Chinese puppet Muizzu, the Maldivians remain wary of increasing Chinese influence in the nation.

Muizzu’s Impeachment: A Chinese Puppet on Borrowed Political Time

It seems Muizzu’s true intention as a Chinese stooge is to limit India’s growth and influence in the Indian Ocean. Presenting his anti-India stance as patriotism does not blind anyone to his reality as a religious zealot powered by the Chinese yen! Muizzu’s misadventure with power serves as a cautionary tale to all! China is no longer able to restrict India. How? Well, the Muizzu administration is facing possible impeachment for working against the interest of the nation. Local businessmen, opposition members, and several members of his party are unhappy with him and his perilous politics. 

Hopefully, once this saga is over, China and its Maldivian puppet will face dire consequences for imbecilic political posturing and misplaced priorities. But who will teach them a lesson? Modi’s India or the Global West?! Who knows. Currently, the Maldives, for better or worse, has become the unwitting star of its own geopolitical farce.