Publications

October 2, 2026

Geographical Destiny and the Maldives Economy

Fig 1. Maldives and India on Global Mapping Services (Photo: File, Google Earth Satellite Imagery)It is a geopolitical reality as old as the maps themselves: geography dictates destiny.For the Republic of Maldives, a picturesque archipelago with a citizen population of under 400,000, that destiny is inextricably tied to India. Sitting astride the world’s most critical Indian Ocean shipping lanes, the Maldives holds immense structural leverage. Yet, as the two nations mark 60 years of formal dipl...

September 22, 2026

Small States Agency in South Asia: India-Maldives Relations

Fig 1. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu during 2023 visit (Photo: File, East Asia Forum)The enduring bilateral relations between Maldives and India are insightful chapters in the history of the South Asian region. After a period of intense nationalist rhetoric and tension during the 2023 Maldivian presidential election campaign season, bilateral ties between Maldives and India have been on a gradual path to diplomatic restoration. This momentum is spear...

August 12, 2026

Free Trade Agreement Signed by Maldives and India

Fig 1. Minister of Economic Development, Transport and Trade of Maldives Mohamed Saeed meeting withMinister of Commerce and Industry of India Piyush Goyal (Photo: File, Corporate Maldives Media)As India and the Maldives celebrate 60 years of enduring friendship, efforts to elevate the economic frameworks of both nations to new heights have accelerated. In meetings held between India's Minister of Commerce, Piyush Goyal, and the Maldives' Minister of Economic Development, Mohamed Saeed,...

October 30, 2025

Trump's Return and the Impact of Future U.S Domestic and Foreign Policy on the World: The Prospective for Asia and Small States

Fig 1. U.S President with leaders of Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia for the Kulala Lumpur Peace Accords (Photo: File, U.S Government White House Media)Donald Trump’s reelection as the President of the United States spells changes to the established status quo of the international community. All states are likely to be impacted from the policy changes of the US and international sanctions created by the United States of America, which will dictate negotiation, finding new avenues, and developing pa...