Indian External Affairs Minister External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has aimed a veiled dig at President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu and said that 'big bullies don't provide USD 4.5 billion as aid".
The Minister said this after he was questioned whether India was perceived as a bully in the South Asian region.
Speaking at an event, Jaishankar said that big bullies don't supply vaccines to other countries when Covid-19 is on or make exceptions to their own rules to respond to food demands fuel demands, or fertilizer demands because some war in some other part of the world has complicated their lives.
The Minister's comments about bullying come after President Muizzu used the term in an indirect threat to India following a diplomatic row between the two countries.
In comments to the media after concluding his trip to China back in January, President Muizzu said that the Maldives may be small but that does not give anyone the license to bully the Maldives.
Dear Maldivians, India is never was or will be a threat to your sovernity or integrity of your country. While, Maldives is free to pursue its relationship with China as it is sovereign country. However, be sensitive of the concern of the neighbours as well. China says something and does something. I will bring your attention to south China sea and see how small countries like Phillpines, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam are "bullied" by China. I hope your politicians put your country "FIRST". Being an Indian I don't want INDIA FIRST or INDIA OUT politics, it is just a politics of PPP/PNC and MDP. However, this is breaking relationship with people of both countries.I think India should have trained few Maldivians and left the 3 aircraft there. The craft was provided for maritime security and medical evacuation. In India these aircrafts are operated by military. Now, having said that I wish all the best for Maldives. I hope Maldives elect good politicians who put your country first. I thought Indian politics is bad but Maldives politics is worse. LMAO
We need a fine balance between China and India. China is known to offer loans and be ruthless at recovering them, take Sri Lanka for example. India may not be as big a power as China but has been a more trusted partner. We need to walk a fine line and not get too carried away with China as they may turn on us any time as history suggests they have done with other island nations.