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“Maldives will soon reach a point without foreign military fragments: President Muzjju.”

Maldives will soon reach a point without foreign military fragments: President Muzjju."

“Several weeks after a political dispute strained India-Maldives relations, Indian military personnel have been given a deadline for withdrawal from the island nation.”

“The first group of Indian military personnel will be sent back from the Maldives before March 10, while the remaining Indian soldiers deployed on two aviation platforms will be withdrawn by May 10. Maldives President Mohammed Muzjju stated that the goal is to reach a point where there is no foreign military presence in the country.”

When Mohammad Muizzu won the presidential election in November 2023, he had promised to remove Indian soldiers from the island nation.

Approximately 90 Indian military personnel oversee radar stations and surveillance aircraft in New Delhi. They assist in patrolling the exclusive economic zone of Maldives, contributing to the special economic sector’s security.

In January, a political controversy arose between India and the Maldives over disrespectful comments by Maldivian politicians regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Lakshadweep. Subsequently, President Mohammed Muijzz, perceived as a pro-China leader, intensified his anti-India stance, escalating tensions in bilateral relations between the two countries.

“We may be small, but that doesn’t give you the license to threaten us,” said Muijju a few days after the controversy erupted.

Last week, the Maldivian government formally requested a “comprehensive account” from the Indian government regarding an incident where its coast guard personnel reportedly boarded three Maldivian fishing vessels allegedly operating within its economic zone.

Muizzu recently announced that, besides enhancing Maldives’ capabilities for underwater surveys, the country will maintain autonomous control over all its domains, including maritime, aerial, and local, to bolster its capacities.

According to local media reports, President Muizzu was asked about efforts to remove foreign military personnel from the Maldives on Wednesday. In response, Muizzu stated, “I assure the people that Maldives will be taken to a point where there will be no foreign military presence in the country.”

It is noteworthy that on January 23, the Maldives granted permission for the Chinese research vessel Jiāng Yáng Hóng 03 to dock at the Male port. The vessel, designed for research and survey purposes, was allowed to stay for replenishment purposes, with the assurance that no research activities would take place in Maldivian waters during its expedition.

On the other hand, Sri Lanka had imposed a ban on the continuous voyages of Chinese research vessels at its Hambantota port. This decision has raised concerns by India regarding the nature of research, especially in gathering confidential information related to maritime mapping and India’s defense facilities for potential military purposes in the Indian Ocean region.

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