Under a new defense cooperation agreement with the Maldives, China is set to offer free military assistance to the island nation. Coming soon after the presidential order to remove Indian naval personnel from the Maldives and after a so-called Chinese research vessel visited Malé, the agreement is no doubt a provocation to India.
Whatever the domestic political considerations of the Maldives for these developments, they are in keeping with China’s increased security focus in the region.
They are also a signal to India – this time in the Indian Ocean and away from their Source link
