Told India to remove troops from Maldives: President-elect Mohamed Muizzu

Maldives President-elect Mohamed Muizzu, who is known for his strong China leanings, has reportedly told India to remove itstroops from the country.

Speaking to BBC on Sunday (Oct 22), Muizzu, who won elections last month and is to be sworn in later in November, saidhe met Indian ambassador Munu Mahawar a few days after he won the elections and "told him very clearly that every single Indian military personnel here should be removed".

Mohamed Muizzu’s Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) fought this year’s election on the claims that his outgoing predecessor Ibrahim Mohamed Solih allowed India an unchecked presence in the Indian Ocean archipelago.

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Muizzu has repeatedly claimed that under Solih’s administration, Maldives’ sovereignty was threatened by the Indian military personnel on the island—a rallying point of the party's years-long “India out” strategy.

Why are Indian troops in the Maldives, and how many?

It is currently unknown how many Indian troops are there in Maldives. In 2021, the Maldivian defence force claimed that said around 75 Indian military personnel were based in the country to operate and maintain the Indian aircraft.

Muizzu argues that the presence of Indian troops could put the Maldives at risk in the event of any tensions between India and China along their Himalayan border.

"Maldives is too small to get entangled with this global power struggle. We will not get entangled into this," he said.

India has provided about $2 billion in development assistance to the country and donated two helicopters to assist in the rescue of people stranded or faced with calamities at sea.

It was the gifting of helicopters to Maldives that fuelled the 'India out' campaign.

He also told BBC that he would review every agreement the Maldives signed with India.

"We don't know what's in there. Even in Parliament, some of the MPs during the debates said that they didn't know what was in there. I am sure we will find it out," he was quoted as saying.

Origins of Muizzu’s pro-China leanings

It is argued that Muizzu’s China leanings stem from significant Chinese loans received by the Maldives during the previous PPM government’s tenure.

These loans have led to closer economic ties between the Maldives and China, including infrastructure projects and investments in the country.

(With inputs from agencies)

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