The power ministry will also do away with cross subsidy in the proposed power ppr valve tariff policy to promote e-mobility, as nobody will buy power at Rs 11/unit, Singh said..Singh said that the electricity amendment bill, which proposes renewable of distribution licences for discoms and a hike in penalty for unscheduled power cuts from Rs 1,000 at present, is likely to be placed in Parliament in upcoming budget session. A direct reflection of Beijing’s "going-out economic diplomacy" is visible currently in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) where Maldives is a priority.The crisis is emerging more as a geopolitical crisis between China and India to influence Maldives’ political affairs and mark a stamp on the archipelagic nation’s political future in Indian Ocean.The author is a Fellow and Centre Coordinator for East Asia at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi. In fact, Beijing’s "pro-active" diplomacy is positioning China as a top-ranking country in most of the countries’ foreign policy drawing, allowing it to successfully secure the goodwill of Maldives to expand its South Asian outreach.

Signing economic deals, having frequent political exchanges, promoting cultural linkages, and backing a country’s political regime are part of this "going-out" diplomacy.The ongoing Maldivian crisis is emerging as a geopolitical tussle between China and India to influence the island country’s political affairs. Nonetheless, Yameen had gone ahead in identifying Maldives’ strategic interests more with China than India, owing much to an effective Chinese diplomacy and outreach to the archipelago in general. Given India and Maldives’ strong security, economic and political linkages, the archipelago has been diplomatically close to India over the years.Beijing’s position on the ongoing Maldives crisis combines a fine blend of invisible ambitions and strategic confidence that China holds with the archipelagic country. Signing an FTA was a first of its bilateral kind with a major country for this archipelagic nation and for China too as it is strategically located in the IOR, marking its own authority as a strong economic power. By articulating an indirect caution to India and, importantly, by showcasing its rising international might, China has called on the international community to not interfere in Maldives’ internal affairs.

The search for smaller island countries, establishing stronger maritime and military networks with IOR countries, access to foreign markets and finding new sources of energy are integral for China’s MSR strategy. The Chinese President was received by Yameen at the Male international airport to display their strengthening political bonding. Expressing outright support to Abdulla Yameen’s regime, Beijing has called for "non-interference" from outside powers and has stated that Maldives will "independently" resolve its problem through dialogues. Public support from Maldives is critical to China because it creates a favourable condition for Beijing’s economic and maritime strategy in the IOR. China’s Maldives stance thus puts India’s credential as a power to test, and more importantly, points to a larger fact: a growing hegemonic approach cloaked by protective measures. Despite heavy domestic political opposition, Yameen signed the FTA deal by endorsing Xi Jinping’s flagship Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).