The Maldives has decided not to take part in a proposed military co-operation pact with the United States over fears that it could upset the regional power India, senior officials said Wednesday. Speaking on a visit to Sri Lanka, the atoll nation’s new President Abdulla Yameen said he did not want to proceed with the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) that would have given the US a foothold in his archipelago located across the main east-west sea route.

“There have been discussions before… we are not going to pursue it,” he told reporters in Colombo during his second overseas visit since winning elections two months ago. The US had confirmed early last year discussions on the accord, but had said it had no intention of setting up any bases in the Maldives.

Although the president gave no reason for the decision, Mohamed Shareef, a minister in Yameen’s office, said it had been made over fears that the pact would upset its neighbours, including India. “We have told them that we can’t do it because both India and Sri Lanka are also not happy with it,” said Shareef, without giving further details. Shareef said the proposed SOFA would have given the US military access to two atolls in the nation of 1,192 tiny coral islands scattered some 800 kilometres (500 miles) across the equator.