India, Maldives agree to pull out troops in phases by May 10

Tribune News Service

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, February 2

India and the Maldives have agreed to “replace” Indian defence personnel from one aviation platform deployed in the island nation by March 10. India would “replace” the military personnel from the other two platforms by May 10, according to a Maldives readout of the second meeting of the India-Maldives core group to sort out bilateral irritants.

Withdrawal from 3 aviation platforms

Both sides agree to ‘replace’ Indian defence personnel from one aviation platform by March 10. Indian troops from other two platforms to be ‘replaced’ by May 10

Male looks to Lanka for air ambulance

Maldives Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen on Thursday said Male and Colombo have agreed to begin air ambulance services from March 1, reducing its reliance on India

The Indian readout said, “Both sides also agreed on a set of mutually workable solutions to enable continued operation of Indian aviation platforms that provide humanitarian and medical services to the people of Maldives.”

“During the meeting, both sides continued their discussions on wide-ranging issues related to bilateral cooperation towards identifying steps to enhance the partnership, including expediting the implementation of ongoing development cooperation projects,” added the readout from the MEA.

The core group was set up after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, who has been insisting that all Indian military personnel leave his nation.

The second meeting has taken place when all indications are there that Maldives is making alternative arrangements for medical and evacuations services provided by boats and aerial assets operated by about 80 Indian personnel.

Maldives is also insisting on the abrogation of “The Action Plan on Defence Cooperation” signed with India in 2016. Muizzu and his party had stepped up the “India Out” programme after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar inked a pact for a $50-million line of credit to the Maldives to develop and maintain a naval facility that can keep an eye on shipping and aircraft traffic around the capital of Male.

Male had taken steps in the run up to the second core group meeting to lessen this dependence for emergency evacuation of patients to Indian hospitals. On Thursday, Maldives Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen said on X that Male and Colombo had agreed to begin air ambulance services from March 1. The two sides also agreed to create a framework for immediate approval process between the two countries on urgent requirements, specifically on medical evacuation flights.

A couple of days earlier, Pakistan’s caretaker PM Anwaar-ul Haq Kakar spoke to Muizzu and discussed ways to boost bilateral ties and on enhancing cooperation.

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