Indian troops start withdrawing from Maldives ahead of deadline: Report
India has started pulling out its troops from the Maldives after the country’s pro-China President Mohamed Muizzu’s order to leave the archipelago by May 10, local media reported on Tuesday.
The Mihaaru newspaper reported that as many as 25 Indian military personnel deployed in the southernmost atoll of Addu had left the nation ahead of March 10, the official start of the withdrawal agreed by both India and the Maldives.
Following talks between Male and New Delhi, the two sides had agreed to complete a withdrawal of 89 Indian troops and their support staff from the nation by May 10. Mihaaru reported that three Indian aircraft – two helicopters and one fixed-wing plane – to be operated by Indian civilian staff, had already arrived in the island nation.
The high-level meeting happened in Delhi on February 2.
Though there was no official confirmation from either the Maldivian or Indian authorities, Mihaaru said the Maldivian National Defence Force confirmed the withdrawal of Indian troops had commenced.
After coming to power in November last year, Muizzu had pledged that no Indian security personnel deployed in the Maldives to patrol its vast maritine border, will be allowed.
On March 4, the Maldives signed an agreement with China as the deadline for the Indian pullout approached. The Maldivian Defence Ministry said the deal was to foster “stronger bilateral ties” and that China would train its staff under the same.
A day later, Muizzu reportedly said no Indian troops, not even those in civilian clothes, would be allowed to enter the archipelago after May 10. His comments came after an Indian civilian team reached the Maldives to take charge of one of the three aviation platforms in the island nation.
“There will be no Indian troops in the country come May 10. Not in uniform and not in civilian clothing. The Indian military will not be residing in this country in any form of clothing. I state this with confidence,” Mohamed Muizzu said.
The development comes amid a diplomatic row between India and the Maldives over Maldivian politicians’ derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Lakshadweep in January, which has strained ties between the nations.
Meanwhile, last month India said it was bolstering its naval forces on its “strategically important” Lakshadweep island, about 130 kilometres north of the Maldives. The Indian Navy said at the time that its unit on the island of Minicoy would boost “operational surveillance” of the region.
India has been suspicious of China’s increasing presence in the Indian Ocean and its influence in the Maldives.
Why Maldives President Muizzu wants Indian troops out
