Maldives president sets deadline for Indian troop withdrawal
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has set a March 15 deadline for India to remove its military personnel from the island nation. This decision comes after Muizzu's recent visit to China, where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. "Indian military personnel cannot stay in the Maldives. This is the policy of President Muizzu and that of this administration," Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim, the public policy secretary at the President's Office, said.
High-level core group established for troop withdrawal negotiations
A high-level group has been formed between the Maldives and India to discuss the withdrawal of Indian troops. The group held its first meeting on Sunday morning at the Foreign Ministry Headquarters in Male'. Indian High Commissioner Munu Mahawar attended the meeting. Nazim confirmed the meeting and said the agenda was to discuss the request for troop withdrawal by March 15. The Indian government has not yet commented on the report.
Muizzu's 'India Out' campaign and upgraded ties with China
Muizzu had built his presidential campaign on the promise of removing Indian troops from the island. He had also made a formal appeal to India to withdraw its soldiers soon after taking office. He is known for his close ties with China, and relations between the Maldives and China have recently improved following a diplomatic dispute between India and the Maldives. The dispute began after Maldivian ministers made derogatory comments about Indian PM Narendra Modi following his visit to Lakshadweep.
Indian military presence in Maldives
Currently, around 88 Indian troops are stationed in the Maldives, operating India-sponsored radars and surveillance aircraft. Indian warships in the area also help patrol the country's exclusive economic zone. Last October, the Ministry of External Affairs stated that India's cooperation with the Maldives is based on jointly addressing shared challenges and priorities. It stated that over the last five years, its personnel have carried out more than 500 medical evacuations, saving 523 Maldivian lives.
