Maldivian parliamentary panel to probe 3 agreements signed with India
- In Reports
- 11:22 PM, Jun 10, 2024
- Myind Staff
A parliamentary committee in the Maldives decided on Monday to reassess three agreements made with India by the previous administration of President Ibrahim Solih, including one concerning the development of a naval base.
The parliamentary panel responsible for monitoring security services activities has approved a proposal from Ahmed Azaan, a parliamentarian of President Mohamed Muizzu’s People’s National Congress (PNC) party, to investigate 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 for the swearing-in of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term. During his visit to the Indian capital, Muizzu met with Modi and Union Minister S. Jaishankar to discuss enhancing cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
Azaan initially proposed that the parliamentary panel investigate all agreements made with India by the former administration. However, other panel members suggested it would be more effective to identify and review specific agreements.
Muizzu’s government has already decided to terminate the agreement on hydrographic surveys. However, Azaan questioned the Solih government’s rationale for signing these agreements. He also expressed concerns about the naval base agreement, stating he wanted to understand why the senior leadership of the Maldives National Defence Force was not consulted on the matter.
Azaan proposed that a sub-committee be appointed to examine these agreements and any other actions of the previous government that might have jeopardised the sovereignty of the Maldives.
The parliamentary panel subsequently established a sub-committee consisting of four MPs, including Azaan. It is not yet clear when the sub-committee will present its findings.
Indian officials have not yet reacted to the development.
Image source: AFP
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