News Excerpt:

The Maldives government has decided not to renew an agreement with India that allowed India to conduct hydrographic surveys in Maldivian waters.

Hydrographic Survey:

• This is carried out by ships, which use methods such as sonar to understand the various features of a water body. 
• These surveys help “map out water depth, the shape of the seafloor and coastline, the location of possible obstructions, and physical features of water bodies” to ensure the efficiency and safety of maritime transportation.
• The surveys were done to generate updated Navigational Charts/ Electronic Navigational Charts of the areas, which would help sectors such as Tourism, Fisheries, Agriculture, etc.
• The ship was also to carry out tidal observations to enable accurate tidal predictions.

About the Hydrographic Survey Pact:

• The first meeting of the Joint Commission on Hydrography was held in the Maldives in September 2019.
• The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Darshak conducted the first Joint Hydrographic survey in 2021.
• India has also performed hydrographic surveys along the Western and Eastern coasts of the Indian peninsula and the Andaman Sea and surveys in neighboring countries, including Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Bangladesh.

Why does Maldives want to end the pact?

• Change of regime in Maldives:

• • The former government of Maldives was believed to be more friendly to India, whilst the newly elected government is perceived to be more friendly to China. This movement mirrors alterations in Maldives' foreign policy priorities.

• China’s influence:

• • In recent decades, China has sought to project its power aggressively in the Indian Ocean, including through massive investments in infrastructure projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

• Indian military presence in Maldives:

• • In 2020, an ‘India Out’ campaign began in the Maldives, alleging that India had sent a large military contingent to the Maldives. The current government in Maldives is also against the Indian military presence.

• National security issue:

• Maldives government believes it is “best for national security to improve the Maldivian military’s capacity to conduct such surveys and protect such sensitive information”.

Way forward:

• According to a UN study, approximately 50 percent of coastal states have no hydrographic capability and another 25 percent have only limited capabilities. 
• Only the remaining 25 percent, including India, have adequate hydrographic capabilities.
• There is a need for a hydrographic survey in Asia and Africa, where 36% and 64% of the waters respectively, are yet to be surveyed systematically.