Quixplained: why Maldives has banned anti-India protests

Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has banned anti-India protests in the island nation under a decree titled “Stopping Campaigns that Incite Hatred Against Various Countries Under Different Slogans”,

The decision comes amid the ‘India Out’ campaign in Maldives led by former President Abdulla Yameen.

The order issued on Thursday makes specific mention of the India Out protests as 'an organised campaign that aims to disrupt relations between the two countries. It has also called it a national security threat

So what is the 'India Out' campaign and what led to it being banned in the Maldives.

The campaign started on the premise that India maintains a military presence in the Maldives but Solih's government has repeatedly denied 'being a puppet' to India.

The anti-India campaign first led by an activist was overtaken by former president Abdulla Yameen who became its face soon after his release from prison last December.

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Since assuming office, the Solih government has sent out clear signals that it intended to repair ties with India. On the contrary, during his stint in office from 2013 to 2018, Yameen gave Maldives’ foreign policy a pronounced pro-China tilt.

While Yameen is now seen using the India Out campaign as his re-election vehicle for the presidential elections due by September 2023, Solih's latest move to ban the campaign seems to trample Yameen's poll aspirations.