India talks tough with Maldives
Maldives has ignored Singapore High Court’s verdict that went in favour of the GMR group, and is likely to go ahead with the takeover of the Male International Airport after scrapping their contract with GMR last week.
Amid rising tensions between India and Maldives over the latter’s belligerent stand on the GMR issue, Maldives foreign minister Abdul Samad Abdullah called up his Indian counterpart Salman Khurshid on Tuesday and “explained the reasons” behind the Maldives government’s decision.
Maldives has ignored Singapore High Court’s verdict that went in favour of the GMR group, and is likely to go ahead with the takeover of the Male International Airport after scrapping their contract with GMR last week.
India reacted sharply to the decision and said last week that it will send a “very negative signal to foreign investors and international community.” Sources said, India put on hold its $25 million budgetary aid to Maldives.
Abdullah told Khurshid that Maldives President Mohamed Waheed would soon write to prime minister Manmohan Singh explaining in detail legal and other reasons that have forced the current regime to take this decision.
Khurshid on his part expressed displeasure with the Maldives Government’s decision and conveyed to Abdullah that the decision could negatively impact trade and bilateral ties between the two countries.