Maldives
Mapping the oceans is the new front in the battle for influence in the Indian Ocean
Hydrography, the mapping of bodies of water and surrounding coastal details, is the new front in the battle for influence in the Indian Ocean. There is growing competition among…
Democracy is struggling in South Asia
Democracy in South Asia is experiencing a troubling decline. Indicators point towards a consistent backsliding. Recent unfair elections held in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Maldives…
India’s Maldives boycott is leverage lost
Since the election of a new president in the Maldives, Mohamed Muizzu, the relationship with New Delhi has experienced a downturn. Muizzu assumed power in November, having won the…
Rethinking the Maldives-India security relationship
On 30 September, Mohamed Muizzu won a convincing victory in the Maldives Presidential elections, where one of the issues was Maldives’ close security relationship with India. Now…
Is ‘India Out’ of Maldives?
As competition between the major powers plays out in the Indian Ocean there are many consequences for small island states – including elections won or lost on the basis of…
India doubles down on regional connectivity to counter China
India’s recent hosting of leaders from Nepal and Sri Lanka highlights the growing prominence of infrastructure in India’s regional strategy. Elemental geographical realities mean…
What four upcoming elections in South Asia mean for Australia
If relatively few Australian observers pay much attention to the countries of South Asia, even fewer spend time thinking about the domestic politics of these nations. But…
How Maldives is adapting to a changing security climate – and where Australia benefits
The island state of Maldives has long been seen as a small player in South Asia, sheltered within an Indian sphere of influence. But while it still defers to India’s leading role…
To balance the Quad equation, India and Australia must drive an “Indo” focus
For all the attention given to the Quad, the grouping itself has devoted limited time to the Indian Ocean – the “Indo” part of the Indo-Pacific region. As the two countries with…
Maldives’ presidential election: it’s not just about India and China
The Maldives has been in the news in recent years as an important focus of geopolitical jostling in the Indian Ocean. It is now gearing up for a presidential election in September…