Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed has said that the China-Maldives Free Trade Agreement is not beneficial for the Maldives Economy. Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal he said that the operationalization of FTA is impacting Maldives govt revenue. The Maldives-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed in December 2017 during the administration of former Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen, it marked the Maldives' first FTA with any country. The FTA has been effective since January 2025. India, a traditional partner, expressed concerns in early 2025, warning that the FTA could affect Maldives’ economic health and influence Indian policies in the region. The former president also spoke on India ties, etc.