India will deploy ‘capable’ Indian technical personnel to operate three aviation platforms in the Maldives, replacing its military personnel. However, New Delhi emphasized that it remains a crucial partner in the island nation’s significant developmental endeavors.

Addressing a media briefing, Ranbir Jayaswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, stated, “I would like to emphasize that current personnel will be replaced by capable Indian technical professionals.”

After the second meeting of the high-level core group to address issues concerning military personnel, it was decided that India will withdraw its troops from the Maldives between March and May. However, the operation of two helicopters and one Dornier aircraft will continue. This withdrawal is facilitated with the assistance of Indian civilian replacements and Maldivian defense personnel for the island nation’s security.

The second meeting of the core group took place in Delhi on February 2nd.

In December, following a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Mohammed Muijz in Dubai on the occasion of the COP28 Summit, both sides decided to establish the Core Group.

Approximately 80 Indian soldiers are deployed in the Maldives to operate these platforms. After the first meeting of the Core Group on January 14, the Maldivian government set a deadline of March 15 to call back its military personnel from India.

Sources have said that both parties have worked to enable the continuous operation of these three platforms, which are vital for the Maldives’ medical emergency services.

Immediately after taking the oath as president in November, Muizzu, widely seen as a China-backed leader, formally requested the return of his country’s military personnel from India. He stated that the people of the Maldives had given him a ‘strong mandate’ to make this request.

After pledging to remove the Indian military presence from the Maldives, Muizzu won the presidential election by defeating Ibrahim Mohammad Solih.

A month after the challenging announcement to recall their military personnel from India, the Muizzu government also declared that they would not renew the previous government’s agreement with India on hydrographic survey in the Maldives’ waters.