Disclosure of Maldives-India agreements deferred amid review

The President’s Office has declined to disclose agreements signed by the previous government with India, stating that the agreements are bilateral and subject to confidentiality.

The response was issued following a request submitted by lawyer Ahmed Mauroof under the Access to Information Act. In its reply, the President’s Office said disclosure was not possible due to the nature of the agreements.

At a press conference in May last year, President Mohamed Muizzu stated that the government had amended agreements believed to affect the independence and sovereignty of the Maldivian state. However, in its response to the information request, the President’s Office said discussions on the agreements were still ongoing.

The matter has also been raised in Parliament. Defence Minister Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon previously told lawmakers that the agreements were under review and that the process had not been completed. His response was given in May last year.

Calls for transparency over agreements with India were a central theme of the “India Out” campaign, which played a role in the current government’s rise to power while in opposition. At the time, a lack of public disclosure regarding the agreements was a key criticism directed at the former administration.

The government has previously stated that the agreements include provisions affecting national interests, and that reforming and disclosing them was a commitment made by the President.