India-Maldives Row: Both countries finding 'mutually workable solution', says Indian foreign ministry

India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday (January 18) that India and Maldives held a core group meeting on January 14 to find a "mutually workable solution" to ensure the "continued operation" of Indian aviation platforms operating in Maldives for humanitarian and medical services. The ministry said that the next meeting will be held in New Delhi.

Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Thursday that during the core group meeting, both countries spoke "on several aspects of the bilateral relationship." Jaiswal was speaking during a weekly briefing of the ministry.

"We mentioned that both sides held discussions on finding a mutually workable solution to enable continued operation of Indian aviation platforms that provide humanitarian and Medvec services to the people of the Maldives," said the MEA spokesperson.

"The next meeting is to be held in India to take discussions forward. So that is where the situation as far as the Maldives is concerned," he added.

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"Whatever's discussed was put out in the press release. That is where the situation actually stands. It is an ongoing process. Both sides held discussions on finding mutually workable solutions...This is an ongoing discussion, so things will go forward or things will be discussed in the next meeting of the core group subsequently soon," Jaiswal said when asked whether India received a formal request from Maldives to withdraw the Indian military personnel.

The rift

Relations between India and Maldives are under strain currently due to the latter's demand of withdrawal of Indian military personnel from the archipelago nation.

Maldives' foreign ministry has said that during the meeting on January 14, both countries "agreed to fast-track the withdrawal of Indian military personnel".

The meeting took place in Male, the capital of Maldives.

"During the meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives, both sides reviewed the existing bilateral cooperation. Discussions were held on a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including development cooperation," the Maldives' Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release earlier.

"Both sides expressed willingness to intensify cooperation and agreed to fast-track the withdrawal of Indian military personnel," it also said, adding, "It was agreed that the second meeting of the High-Level Core Group will be held at a mutually convenient time."

(With inputs from agencies)