India's ambition to become the regional economic superpower in south east Asia is facing setbacks. In a very surprising manner the Maldivian government terminated its agreement with Indian infrastructure giant GMR group to manage the international airport in Male.  The deal was worth  USD five hundred million. Reacting to this, Indian government sources said they are ready for "all necessary measures" to ensure safety and security of its interests and its nationals in the Maldives archipelago.

Moreover, as soon as Maldivian government made the decision of President Mohammed Waheed Hassan Manik's Cabinet to annul the agreement with GMR group public, New Delhi conveyed to Male that its move would send a very negative signal to foreign investors.

"The Government of India proposes to monitor the situation in Maldives closely and is prepared to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of its interests and its nationals in the Maldives," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement issued in New Delhi. India also called upon Maldives to "fulfill all legal processes and requirements in accordance with the relevant contracts and agreement it concluded with the GMR."

The GMR Group confirmed that the Maldivian government had served it a notice "intending to take over the possession and control" of the airport in Male. The company termed the move "unilateral and completely irrational."  New Delhi on Tuesday noted that the contract had been awarded after a 10-month-long global bidding conducted by Washington-based International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group. "As the advisor to the Government of Maldives, the IFC has stated that it has complied with Maldivian laws and regulations and followed the best practices at each step of the bidding process to ensure the highest degree of competitiveness, transparency and credibility of the process," stated the Indian government.

The Maldivian government’s move to annul the contract awarded to the GMR Male International Airport Limited came close on the heels of an already ongoing diplomatic row over a comment made by Hassan’s spokesman Abbas Adil Riza about Indian High Commissioner in Male, D Mulay. Riza called Indian High Commissioner a “traitor” and “an enemy of Maldives,” while speaking at a rally held in Male to protest against the contract awarded to GMIAL.

With the verbal war going on full throttle , the future picture is rather hard to imagine. But one thing is clear that if India has an aspiration to become big brother of the region  and world as well, then the foreign policy making must be precised , trade relations must be well defined and diplomatic tie ups must be strengthened on the bargaining table.

(With inputs from Internet)

(AW-Jyotishman)