Indian troops begin Maldives withdrawal after govt. order
Some 25 Indian troops deployed in the southernmost atoll of Addu left the archipelago ahead of March 10; the remaining military personnel are expected to pull out in batches, before May 10
Indian troops stationed in the Maldives have begun withdrawing from the island nation, its defence authorities said, in line with President Mohamed Muizzu’s ‘India out’ promise to his supporters.
“We can confirm that the Indian troop withdrawal is under way,” the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) said in a statement to news agency AFP on Tuesday, confirming the development.
Last month, the Ministry of External Affairs said a technical team from India had reached the Maldives to replace the troops that were stationed to operate the Indiagifted aircraft and coppers. The deployment of a technical crew indicated that Male and New Delhi had reached a compromise after many rounds of bilater
Maldives President Mohammed Muizzu meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi in UAE in December 2023.
al discussion following Mr. Muizzu’s relentless demand that Indian troops leave the island nation.
According to local media reports in the Maldives, some 25 Indian troops deployed in the southernmost atoll of Addu left the archipelago ahead of March 10. The remaining military personnel are expected to pull out in batches, before May 10, accord
ing to an earlier announcement from the Maldives Foreign Ministry.
The move comes even as the Maldives seeks to strengthen strategic ties with China, as was agreed during President Muizzu’s state visit in January this year. Last week, the Maldives Defence Ministry signed a pact with China, seeking military assistance and “stronger bilateral ties”. The agreement would enable the Maldives to receive nonlethal military equipment and military training from China, Mr. Muizzu said at a public rally soon after, adding that it would strengthen the Maldives’ “independence and autonomy”, according to the Malebased publication The Edition.
Meanwhile, commenting on the withdrawal of the first batch of Indian soldiers from the Maldives, a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday: “China supports Maldives in safeguarding the sovereignty and working with other countries on the basis of equality.”
Apart from its enhanced defence cooperation with China, the Maldives has also acquired surveillance drones from Turkiye for patrolling its exclusive economic zone, according to local media reports.