The Maldivian government has issued a statement today which read that the claims being disseminated on social media and in the media under the slogan of “India Out” were lies, and have denied that Maldivian sovereignty was being jeopardized by co-operation with India.
The government’s statement read that the Maldives maintains relations with all of its international partners with respect, understanding, and within the boundaries of international and national laws. Such relations did not pose any deficit to national sovereignty or regional security.
The government said that those relations were established in the best interests of the nation, to better serve the Maldivian people.
The statement issued by the government today read that the accusations regarding the relationship between India and the Maldives were “baseless” and “untrue”. The accusations, read the statement, was not the voice of the people but rather the work of “a small group of individuals” aimed at “tarnishing the country’s long-standing cordial ties with India”.
The statement highlighted several aspects about the nature and the history of the Indian relationship with the Maldives.
The statement ended by urging “all parties to act responsibly, and refrain from spreading false information that undermines the country’s relations with its neighbours, and the international community”, and for “media outlets to fully commit to professional standards of journalism in reporting such information.”