India links with Maldives with uber connectivity project

On Thursday, India signed the Maldives' largest-ever infrastructure deal. The Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP) will be constructed by Afcons, a Maharashtra-based construction and engineering firm that signed a contract with the Maldives government.

Foreign Secretary Mr. Harsh Shringla, Indian Ambassador Mr. Sunjay Sudhir, and four Maldivian officials attended the signing event.

The GMCP project is seen as the Maldives' economic lifeblood, since it will improve connection between the four islands that account for about half of the country's population. During the visit of External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar to the Maldives in September 2019, President Mr. Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Foreign Minister Mr. Abdulla Shahid requested that it be erected.

The 6.74-kilometer bridge and causeway will connect Male, the Maldives' capital, with the neighbouring islands of Villingli, Gulhifalhu, and Thilafushi. The project was supported by a US$ 100 million Indian grant and a US$ 400 million line of credit.

The GMCP project will be larger than the 1.4-kilometer Sinamalé Bridge, which was completed with Chinese help. It was finished in 2018 and links Malé with Hulhule' and Hulhumalé.

It consists of three navigation bridges with a primary span of 140 metres that span the deep channel between each island, 1.41 kilometres of deep-water marine viaduct, 2.32 kilometres of shallow water or land marine viaduct, and 2.96 kilometres of at-grade roadways. The project will employ solar electricity for illumination in an effort to promote the usage of renewable energy.

India and the Maldives have had strong bilateral ties since President Mr. Solih took office in November 2018. India has aided the Maldives on several occasions, including during the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, when it sent vaccinations and financial help to the island country.

In December 2018, during Mr. Solih's maiden visit to India, a US$ 1.4 billion economic package was unveiled. This includes a US$ 800 million line of credit for airport development, road construction, water and sanitation plant construction, a state-of-the-art cricket stadium, and a police academy. In the Maldives, India has also undertaken 30 community-oriented projects, 13 of which have already been launched and the rest of which are anticipated to be finished by December this year.

During Covid-19, India began an air travel bubble with the Maldives, the first country in South Asia. Malé now has around 60 weekly flights linking it to five Indian cities. India's aid has been tailored to the Maldives' goals, including regional development and decentralisation.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.