OPERATION
CACTUS - INTERNATIONAL
News:
Operation Cactus: When
India prevented a coup in Maldives
What's
in the news?
●
‘India Out’ was a campaign slogan for
Maldives president-elect Mohamed Muizzu, who will take over the country’s reins
on November 17. Over the past decade or so, anti-India sentiments have been
rising in the island nation — and many Maldivians have a long list of
grievances.
●
Yet, 35 years after the fact, India’s
intervention in the 1988 coup attempt in Malé — codenamed Operation Cactus —
continues to be remembered with gratitude and fondness.
Operation Cactus:
● It
was an attempt by a group of Maldivians
led by Abdullah Luthufi and assisted by armed mercenaries of a Tamil
secessionist organisation from Sri Lanka, the People’s Liberation Organisation
of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), to overthrow the government in the island republic of
Maldives on 3rd November 1988.
● The
coup failed due to the intervention of the Indian Army, whose military
operations efforts were code-named Operation Cactus.
● The
Maldives urged India for help following the
collapse of the island’s only water treatment plant, India helped by
sending its heavy-lift transporters like C-17 Globemaster III, II-76 carrying
bottled water.
Operation
Neer:
● It
was initiated by the Indian government to help the Maldives after a major fire
broke out at the Male Water and Sewerage Company.