Maldives ex-President Mohammed Nasheed, who has been handed down a 13-year prison sentence for alleged terror links, was transferred back to the prison from his house.

New Delhi was again caught unawares by developments in Male, following the dramatic re-arrest of former President Mohammed Nasheed late on Sunday.

Mr. Nasheed, who has been handed down a 13-year prison sentence for alleged terror links, was transferred back to the prison from his house. While the Maldivian Democratic Party says the re-arrest is unconstitutional, the government says it had never commuted his sentence to house arrest. New Delhi is yet to articulate its response, but sources in Male said India was not kept in the loop on the re-arrest, despite a recent thaw in political ties.

The action came close on the heels of visits by Maldivian Foreign Secretary Ali Naseer Mohamed to New Delhi and Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar to Male as part of his SAARC Yatra. These visits were perceived as indication of the two governments moving towards more amicable ties, especially since President Abdulla Yameen assured Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he would not allow the island nation to be militarised. India has been apprehensive about China’s growing influence in the region and has conveyed its concerns to Male.

In February, the Ministry of External Affairs said India was concerned at recent developments in the Maldives, including the arrest of Mr. Nasheed, which was followed by cancelling of Mr. Modi’s proposed visit to Male.