Maldives asks India to withdraw its military personnel from archipelago

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, November 18

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has formally requested India to withdraw its military personnel from the archipelago.

“Muizzu made the request when he met Minister of Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju, at the President’s Office earlier on Saturday,” said a release from Male.

India claims that it has a few military personnel in the Maldives to operate two Dhruv advanced light helicopters besides a Dornier aircraft. India also trains Maldives personnel at its military facilities.

Muizzu is making good on his pre-election promise to remove foreign military presence from the Maldives.

He had defeated India-friendly Ibrahim Solih in the presidential runoff in September. India is seeking to minimise the blowback from the election of a pro-China President by emphasising its strategic location as the first responder to any humanitarian crisis in the island nation such as the help extended during the pandemic.