Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid has insisted that though it is the duty of the Indian government to protect the interests of GMR Infrastructure Limited, the company cannot be substituted for the Indian government.
Last Tuesday’s decision by the Maldives government’s decision to suddenly terminate the contract awarded to GMR to run the airport for 25 years signed in 2010, has evoked sharp reactions from the Indian government and threatened the long existing ties between the two nations.
Maldives government has defended its controversial move by insisting that the decision was made purely on legal and commercial grounds as the contract was “void ab initio” (invalid from the beginning).
President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik was also quick to play down a row with India by expressing hope that the decision to annul the agreement would not affect ties with India.
In an interview with Times of India (TOI), Khurshid said "GMR issue is not the same as government of India (GOI). But GMR is an Indian investment and it's our right and duty to protect the interests of commercial entities that have links with the home country. But you cannot substitute GMR for GOI. Maldives says its nothing to do with GOI, we take that at face value, but we want that tone adequately reflected in everything that they do.”
02/12/12 Haveeru Online
