Explanations:The question asks about the island neighbors of Sri Lanka across the high seas. To understand this, we need to consider the geographical location of Sri Lanka and the surrounding island nations in the Indian Ocean.
Sri Lanka is an island nation located in the Indian Ocean, off the southern coast of India. It is part of a region known for its numerous island nations and archipelagos. The Maldives, another island nation, is located southwest of Sri Lanka in the same ocean. The Maldives is a collection of atolls and islands that form a chain in the Indian Ocean, making it a natural neighbor to Sri Lanka.
Other options such as Malaysia and Maharashtra do not fit the criteria of being island neighbors of Sri Lanka. Malaysia is a peninsula nation located on the Malay Peninsula and does not share the same oceanic proximity as the Maldives. Maharashtra, on the other hand, is a state in India, not an island nation, and is located on the Indian subcontinent.
Therefore, the correct answer is the Maldives, as it is the only island nation among the options that is a neighbor to Sri Lanka across the high seas in the Indian Ocean. This geographical relationship is important to understand for students studying the geography of the Indian Ocean region and the location of island nations within it.