President Mohamed Muizzu’s deepening engagement with Pakistan has ignited a political debate in the Maldives, with opposition leaders warning that closer ties with Islamabad could complicate relations with India, the island nation’s most important regional partner, India Today reported.

The controversy follows Muizzu’s three-day state visit to Pakistan from 20 to 22 October, the first by a Maldivian president in 11 years. The visit marked the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and resulted in the signing of 20 memorandums of understanding spanning healthcare, education, trade, agriculture, cybersecurity, defence and maritime security.

While the Maldivian government presented the agreements as part of a broader effort to strengthen bilateral cooperation, opposition figures voiced concern that expanding security and defence links with Pakistan could have wider strategic consequences for the Maldives.

Former president Mohamed Nasheed, who currently serves as chairperson of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), delivered the strongest criticism. Speaking in Addu City, he accused Muizzu of "recklessly" drawing the Maldives into the longstanding rivalry between India and Pakistan.

"While the risks faced by small nations, especially the Maldives, are significant, President Muizzu visited Pakistan without due consideration, once again bringing the Maldives into the middle of the disputes between India and Pakistan," Nasheed said.

Issuing a stark warning, Nasheed added: "If India feels their security is being compromised, it will have very bitter repercussions for the Maldives."

His remarks reflected growing concern within sections of the Maldivian opposition that New Delhi may view expanding defence and maritime cooperation between Male and Islamabad as a potential security issue in the Indian Ocean region.

Criticism also came from former foreign minister Abdulla Shahid, who is seeking the MDP leadership ahead of the 2028 presidential election. Shahid alleged that Muizzu could once again attempt to revive anti-India sentiment, similar to the campaign that helped propel him to power in 2023.

Former president Abdulla Yameen also questioned Pakistan’s decision to award Muizzu an honorary doctorate during the visit, further highlighting the domestic political debate surrounding the president’s foreign policy direction.

During the visit, Muizzu held meetings with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari and Field Marshal Asim Munir. Discussions reportedly covered regional security, military cooperation, defence collaboration and training opportunities.

Alongside political agreements, both governments expressed ambitions to significantly expand economic ties. Bilateral trade, currently valued at approximately 13 million dollars annually, is targeted to reach 200 million dollars within two years.

India responded cautiously to the developments. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that New Delhi was closely monitoring the agreements and would take any necessary steps if required.

India’s attention reflects the Maldives’ strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes and its importance within New Delhi’s maritime security framework. Over decades, India has played a key role in the Maldives’ security architecture, disaster relief operations, humanitarian assistance, economic support and infrastructure development.

Former Maldivian defence minister Mariya Ahmed Didi argued that scrutiny of the new security agreements was warranted given the continuing tensions between India and Pakistan.

While acknowledging that cooperation with Pakistan in areas such as healthcare, education, tourism, trade and agriculture could deliver tangible benefits, she stressed that diplomatic engagements can often be interpreted as signals of broader geopolitical alignment.

"These relationships are not mutually exclusive," Didi wrote.

At the same time, she cautioned that "individual agreements, public statements and diplomatic gestures can be interpreted as evidence of wider strategic alignment, even when that is not the intention".

Didi warned that any future escalation between India and Pakistan could place the Maldives under pressure regarding diplomatic positions, intelligence links, security partnerships and the possible use of national facilities.

She argued that the key issue was not whether the Maldives should engage Pakistan, but whether adequate safeguards existed to preserve the country’s strategic autonomy and prevent unintended consequences.

Economic considerations also feature prominently in the debate. The Maldives remains heavily dependent on tourism, imports and stable regional connectivity. Any deterioration in regional security could affect visitor confidence, trade flows and economic stability, making balanced diplomacy particularly important for the island nation.

Another sensitive aspect of the visit emerged when Pakistan reportedly discussed its positions on Jammu and Kashmir and the Indus Waters Treaty with Muizzu. Pakistan continues to oppose India’s decision to place the treaty in abeyance following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Notably, Muizzu refrained from publicly endorsing Pakistan’s stance on either Jammu and Kashmir or the Indus Waters Treaty during the trip.

However, he did advocate for the revival of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), whose summit process has remained stalled since 2014 due to tensions between India and Pakistan following the Uri terror attack in 2016.

Muizzu stated that the Maldives was prepared to work with fellow member states to facilitate a future Saarc summit. The proposal nevertheless faces significant hurdles, with India consistently maintaining that meaningful regional cooperation requires an environment free from terrorism.

The broader debate surrounding Muizzu’s Pakistan outreach is inseparable from his political history. He came to power in 2023 on an "India Out" platform, which called for the withdrawal of Indian military personnel from the Maldives.

In May 2024, the Indian military personnel responsible for operating and maintaining aircraft used for humanitarian and medical evacuation missions were replaced by civilian technical staff. Since then, however, Muizzu has gradually moved to stabilise relations with New Delhi. High-level diplomatic engagement has continued, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the Maldives in 2025 and subsequent interactions between the two leaders.

Nevertheless, Abdulla Shahid has alleged that Muizzu may seek to make India a political issue once more as the 2028 election approaches.

"The President is trying to make India the issue again, because for him, he hasn't been able to perform," Shahid claimed.

Despite these criticisms, there is no definitive evidence that Muizzu intends to revive the "India Out" campaign or pursue an explicitly anti-India foreign policy. His administration continues to promote a "Maldives First" approach, emphasising relations with multiple international partners.

The challenge facing Muizzu is whether he can convincingly balance expanding ties with Pakistan while preserving the Maldives’ vital strategic, economic and security relationship with India. As opposition leaders warn of the risks of miscalculation, the success of that balancing act is likely to remain a defining issue in Maldivian politics and regional diplomacy in the years ahead.

Agencies