Maldives decides not to renew hydrographic survey agreement with India

Maldives to revoke Hydrographic Survey agreement with India.

Maldives has said that it will not renew the hydrographic survey agreement made with India. Maldives' Under Secretary for Public Policy Mohamed Firuzul said that part of the 'Hafthaa-14' roadmap was to revoke bilateral and diplomatic agreements with other countries that would put the country's sovereignty in danger.

Mr. Firuzul was speaking at a conference held at the Maldives President's Office after the Cabinet meeting on December 14. He said the Maldives President and his Cabinet have decided not to renew the hydrography agreement between India and Maldives and that as per agreement dictates one party can decide not to renew the current agreement six months before it expires in June 2024.

The hydrographic survey agreement was signed on June 8, 2019, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Maldives. Under the agreement, India was allowed to conduct a comprehensive study of the island nation's territorial waters, which includes reefs, lagoons, coastlines, ocean currents, and tide levels.

The third Joint hydrographic survey by the Indian Navy and the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) was carried out by an Indian Naval Ship Investigator (INS Investigator) from January 19 to February 26, 2023. The Indian Navy ship surveyed Northern Maldives covering Ihavandhippolhu and Thiladhanmatee atolls and Gallandhu Kandu.

Since 2018, Indian navy ships have made several trips across the Maldives for the survey. The Maldives Under Secretary for Public Policy said the agreement also dictates that if a party does not indicate its decision not to renew the agreement, the agreement would be valid for five more years.

According to Mr. Firuzul, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu and his Cabinet want to retain information and data about the country's waters within the country itself. The Under Secretary also said that the government wants to build this capacity within the armed forces (MNDF) and that budget allocations would be made to develop resources for such work within the MNDF.

He added that ocean hydrography survey work would now be done under Maldivian authority only.