According to a statement released by the president’s office on Sunday, the Maldives has formally requested that India remove all military soldiers stationed on its territory. Currently, 77 Indian troops are stationed in the archipelagic state in the Indian Ocean.
Mohamed Muizzu, the fifth person to be democratically elected as president of the island nation, took office on Friday. His election victory was largely attributed to his promise to eradicate any foreign military involvement from the state. Viewed as pro-China, Muizzu also ran on a platform of balancing trade and diminishing Indian influence in the Maldives. This was in contrast to his predecessor, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who had developed strong ties with New Delhi.
The Maldivian president’s office announced in a press release on Sunday that it was formally revealing “the presence of 77 Indian military personnel stationed within Maldivian territory.” It further stated that while some of the personnel in issue are in charge of maintaining and engineering the aircraft, the bulk of them are engaged in various aviation activities.
As part of its appeal for an Indian military withdrawal, Muizzu’s office stated separately on Saturday that “the Maldivian people had given [President Muizzu] a strong mandate to make the request to India and expressed the hope that India will honour the democratic will of the people of the Maldives.”
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According to the Associated Press (AP), the Indian military utilises helicopters in the area to help rescue individuals who are stuck on islands in the Maldives or who are in various hazards.
The Indian defence ministry has not yet responded to the request in writing. It was agreed that the two countries will consider practical options for continued cooperation, a senior official in Narendra Modi’s Indian government went on record, according to Reuters on Sunday. The official is yet to be identified. The news agency reported that the diplomat did not say whether India plans to withdraw its military presence.
India’s minister of earth sciences, Kiren Rijiju, “expressed his aspiration to foster a constructive relationship with the Maldives” during a meeting with the recently elected Muizzu on Saturday, according to the president’s office. He also “acknowledged the presence of a vibrant Indian community residing in the Maldives.”
According to AP, the September presidential election, in which Muizzu emerged as the unexpected winner, was widely seen as a vote on whether Maldivians preferred China or India to have control over the archipelago.
