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NEW DELHI: India
has tightened
visas for
Maldives in what
is being seen as
retaliation for
the GMR fiasco
in that country.
New Delhi has
stopped
Maldivians from
using their visa-
free travel
facilities to India for other
activities like medical treatment,
restricting it only to tourism.
India revised its earlier "liberal"
interpretation of the 1979
bilateral visa agreement with
Maldives this month which
allowed thousands of Maldivians
to use a 90-day visa-on-arrival
facility meant only for tourism
to travel for treatment in
Indian hospitals. The Indian
government indulged in
Maldivians' liberal use of the
facility. But that will no longer be
allowed, said sources. Now,
Maldivians will need valid
medical visas for treatment in
Indian hospitals or face
deportation, New Delhi has
warned.
Foreign minister Salman
Khurshid suggested that a lack
of reciprocity by Male had forced
India to cut down on its largesse
in doling out visas. "We know
that people from the Maldives
come here for treatment but as
far as visas are concerned, we
will go strictly by the rules," said
Khurshid. While India allowed
Maldivians to seek treatment on
tourist visas as it never
questioned the purpose of their
visit authorities in Male have
admitted that there always was
a "mutual understanding" that
such travelers required medical
visa.
Indications are that Maldives is
already facing the heat. Calling
for its nationals not to depend
on any one country for
treatment, Male has now
approached Sri Lanka saying it
wants to extend its healthcare
scheme to some of the hospitals
in Colombo. Now, Maldivians are
queuing up outside the Indian
High Commission to seek
medical visas which are limited
in number. The Maldivian home
minister said they would
approach Thailand for help in
medical treatment for its
citizens.
According to the Indian
government, Maldives'
interpretation of the visa
agreement was always different
and that until now it was more
difficult for Indians to get into
Maldives than the other way
round. The fact that India
workers' passports are
confiscated by their employers is
something India has repeatedly
taken up with authorities in Male
but to no avail.
According to India, Maldives
detains and deports about 50
Indian nationals every year.
Maldivian home minister
Mohammed Jameel Ahmed
denied the charge, saying that
only four have been deported
this year. But the Indian High
Commission contradicted him on
Saturday. "Regarding the
deportation of Indian travelers
from Male International Airport,
the High Commission of India
stands by its figures," said the
High Commission in a statement.
Unlike Maldives, India has also
been giving tourist visas free of
cost. After tightening visa
regulations, India has put
forward a list of demands to
Maldives in which it has also
sought quick release of 14
Indians detained in the Indian
Ocean nation.
has tightened
visas for
Maldives in what
is being seen as
retaliation for
the GMR fiasco
in that country.
New Delhi has
stopped
Maldivians from
using their visa-
free travel
facilities to India for other
activities like medical treatment,
restricting it only to tourism.
India revised its earlier "liberal"
interpretation of the 1979
bilateral visa agreement with
Maldives this month which
allowed thousands of Maldivians
to use a 90-day visa-on-arrival
facility meant only for tourism
to travel for treatment in
Indian hospitals. The Indian
government indulged in
Maldivians' liberal use of the
facility. But that will no longer be
allowed, said sources. Now,
Maldivians will need valid
medical visas for treatment in
Indian hospitals or face
deportation, New Delhi has
warned.
Foreign minister Salman
Khurshid suggested that a lack
of reciprocity by Male had forced
India to cut down on its largesse
in doling out visas. "We know
that people from the Maldives
come here for treatment but as
far as visas are concerned, we
will go strictly by the rules," said
Khurshid. While India allowed
Maldivians to seek treatment on
tourist visas as it never
questioned the purpose of their
visit authorities in Male have
admitted that there always was
a "mutual understanding" that
such travelers required medical
visa.
Indications are that Maldives is
already facing the heat. Calling
for its nationals not to depend
on any one country for
treatment, Male has now
approached Sri Lanka saying it
wants to extend its healthcare
scheme to some of the hospitals
in Colombo. Now, Maldivians are
queuing up outside the Indian
High Commission to seek
medical visas which are limited
in number. The Maldivian home
minister said they would
approach Thailand for help in
medical treatment for its
citizens.
According to the Indian
government, Maldives'
interpretation of the visa
agreement was always different
and that until now it was more
difficult for Indians to get into
Maldives than the other way
round. The fact that India
workers' passports are
confiscated by their employers is
something India has repeatedly
taken up with authorities in Male
but to no avail.
According to India, Maldives
detains and deports about 50
Indian nationals every year.
Maldivian home minister
Mohammed Jameel Ahmed
denied the charge, saying that
only four have been deported
this year. But the Indian High
Commission contradicted him on
Saturday. "Regarding the
deportation of Indian travelers
from Male International Airport,
the High Commission of India
stands by its figures," said the
High Commission in a statement.
Unlike Maldives, India has also
been giving tourist visas free of
cost. After tightening visa
regulations, India has put
forward a list of demands to
Maldives in which it has also
sought quick release of 14
Indians detained in the Indian
Ocean nation.
