In a turn of events that could cast a shadow on diplomatic ties between India and Maldives, the Maldives government has suspended three members of a local body for meeting Indian Ambassador Akhilesh Mishra without seeking prior approval.

This comes days after the Abdulla Yameen government rammed through its Free Trade Agreement with China in the Maldives parliament it was signed during Yameen’s visit to China last week.

Earlier Referring to the Maldives-China free trade agreement signed last week, India said it expected the Indian Ocean archipelago nation to be sensitive to New Delhi’s concerns.

Stating that India attached the highest importance to its relations with Maldives, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "the two countries have strong historical and civilisational linkages, and also at the people-to-people level”.

“We are also committed to support democracy, development and stability in Maldives,” said Kumar at his weekly media briefing here. “It is our expectation that as a close and friendly neighbour, Maldives will be sensitive to our concerns in keeping with its India first policy,” he said.

But the recent developments further rubbed Indian bruise , but four ambassadors to Maldives (including those based in Colombo) from the US, UK, Australia and Germany have criticised the move by the Maldivian government to restrict elected leaders from meeting diplomats.

On December 11, the Local Government Authority (LGA), which is the prime monitoring agency of local bodies in Maldives, issued a circular stating that since all foreign policy powers are vested in the presidency, any meetings between councillors and foreign diplomats could only take place after the home ministry’s clearance.

When the circular was issued, Mishra was touring the islands of Gaafu Alifu Atoll. A day later, President of the Gaafu Alifu Atoll Council, Ahmed Fuaad, tweeted a photograph of a notice issued by the LGA, dated December 12, suspending the three-member council Fuaad, Ahmed Nazmeen and Hussain Adam for three months.

All the three suspended councillors are from the main opposition party, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), headed by former President Mohammed Nasheed.

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