The Maldives government’s “anti-India stance” may turn out detrimental to the island nation’s development, the two main opposition parties have warned, two days after the administration announced a Chinese ship will be docking at their port.

The words of caution by the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and the Democrats comes amid strained ties between the two neighbours and the Maldives’ affinity towards China, a potentially significant geopolitical and military shift in the Indian Ocean Region.

President Mohamed Muizzu won the 2023 elections banking on an anti-India narrative, a departure from his predecessors who pursued a pro-India policy. 

“Both, the MDP and The Democrats believe alienating any development partner, and especially the country’s most long-standing ally will be extremely detrimental to the long-term development of the country,” the two opposition parties said, calling India the “most long-standing ally”.

Their assessment on “the direction in foreign policy” stated the Maldivian government must work with all development partners as it has traditionally done.

Read | Maldives Asks India To Withdraw Military Personnel By March 15: Report

“Stability and security in the Indian Ocean is vital to the stability and security of the Maldives,” said the two opposition parties, which jointly hold 55 seats in the 87-member house.

The remarks were made at a joint news conference addressed by MDP’s chairperson Fayyaz Ismail, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Ahmed Saleem, Democrats chief MP Hassan Latheef and the Parliamentary Group Leader Ali Azim.

Maldives recently upgraded its ties with China after a diplomatic row over Maldivian ministers’ derogatory comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi post his visit to India’s Lakshadweep islands.

Read | “Welcome Vessels From Friendly Nations”: Maldives On China Spy Ship

The country has also set a March 5 deadline for India to withdraw its troops – a deadline that follows President Muizzu’s first state visit to China after being elected. This was also his first port of call after assuming office, another shift from his predecessors who traditionally have been making India their first port of call.

Earlier this week, Maldives announced it has allowed a Chinese survey ship to dock at one of its ports for replenishment, but it will not conduct any “research” in Maldivian waters.

“The Maldives has always been a welcoming destination for vessels of friendly countries, and continues to host both civilian and military vessels making port calls for peaceful purposes,” Maldives said, a remark being seen as a further evidence of Male’s pivot away from New Delhi and towards Beijing.

An independent commission probing alleged foreign interference in Canada asked the Trudeau government on Wednesday to share information about possible meddling in elections by India, a development that could aggravate already-tense Ottawa-New Delhi relations.

The commission was set up by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government in September to conduct a public inquiry into foreign meddling in Canadian affairs after reports of alleged Chinese attempts to influence elections and mounting pressure for an inquiry. Beijing has repeatedly denied any interference.

The commission said in a statement on Wednesday that it had requested the Canadian government to provide documents “relating to alleged interference by India related to the 2019 and 2021 elections.”

“The commission will also examine the flow of information within the federal government in relation to these issues, evaluate the actions taken in response, assess the federal government’s capacity to detect, deter, and counter foreign interference, and make recommendations on these issues,” it said.

The commission, led by Quebec Judge Marie-Josee Hogue, is charged with conducting an independent public inquiry into allegations of attempted foreign interference in Canadian affairs by China, Russia and others. It is expected to complete an interim report by May 3 and deliver its final report by the end of this year.

Diplomatic relations between India and Canada have frayed in recent months over Canada’s allegations linking Indian agents to the murder of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia last year. India has rejected that allegation. Canadian authorities have yet to charge anyone with the killing.

The Indian High Commission in Ottawa did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Two days after Assam Police registered a case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his associates for a clash between party workers and cops during Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, the case has been transferred to the specialised Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Assam police chief GP Singh has said in a post on X that the case has been transferred to the CID for a “thorough and in-depth investigation through a SIT”. Mr Gandhi and other Congress leaders have been charged under nine sections of the Indian Penal Code, including those related to rioting, unlawful assembly and criminal conspiracy.

Congress workers part of the Rahul Gandhi-led Yatra clashed with Assam cops this Tuesday near the Guwahati city limits. The state BJP government had barred the yatra from moving on key Guwahati roads, citing the possibility of traffic jams. Declaring the grounds of denying permission frivolous, Congress workers tried to enter the city.

A huge contingent of cops had been posted at the city borders to stop them. About 5,000 Congress workers clashed with them, leading to chaotic scenes at the city limits. Mr Chief Minister Himanta Sarma alleged that Congress’s “naxalite tactics” led to a massive traffic jam.

The swift transfer of the case to the CID comes amid a heated exchange between Mr Gandhi and Mr Sarma.

Congress leaders have alleged that the Chief Minister, who was earlier with the Congress, was creating one hurdle after another in the yatra. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, flagging incidents of breach in Mr Gandhi’s security ever since his yatra entered Assam.

In his public addresses in Assam, Mr Gandhi has slammed Mr Sarma for being the country’s most corrupt Chief Minister. He has also said that the Assam Chief Minister is remote-controlled by the centre from Delhi. Mr Gandhi has dared the Assam Chief Minister to register more case against him and said he is not scared. 

Mr Sarma, on the other hand, has accused the Congress MP of instigating people in the state. He has alleged that the Congress was trying to destablise Assam. “We will arrest him (Rahul) after the Lok Sabha election. If we arrest him before, it will become politicised. Now the case has been registered, SIT will investigate, and we have evidence. A big incident could have happened in Guwahati after he instigated to break barricades. We don’t want to do politics before the Lok Sabha election because we are going to win this election,” he said.

Today is the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’s last day in Assam, after which it will enter West Bengal.