News Brief
"No Indian Troops, Not Even In Civilian Attire": Maldives President Muizzu After India's New Team Reaches To Take Over Aviation Platforms
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu. (Image via Japan Times)
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has again escalated his anti-India rhetoric, asserting that there will be no Indian military personnel, not even those in civilian attire, present in his country after 10 May, according to a report from The Indian Express.
Muizzu's statement comes shortly after an Indian civilian team arrived in the Maldives to take over one of the three aviation platforms in the island nation, well ahead of the 10 March deadline agreed upon by both countries for the withdrawal of Indian military personnel.
"That these people [Indian military] are not departing, that they are returning after changing their uniforms into civilian clothing. We must not indulge such thoughts that instil doubts in our hearts and spread lies," the portal quoted Muizzu, widely regarded as a pro-China leader, as saying.
"There will be no Indian troops in the country come 10 May. Not in uniform and not in civilian clothing. The Indian military will not be residing in this country in any form of clothing. I state this with confidence," he said, on a day when his country signed an agreement with China to receive free military aid.
Earlier last month, after a high-level meeting in Delhi on 2 February between the two sides, the Maldivian foreign ministry said India would replace its military personnel operating the three aviation platforms in the Maldives by 10 May and the first phase of the process would be completed by 10 March.
Muizzu rode to power last year on an anti-India stance and within hours of taking oath demanded India to remove its personnel from the strategically located archipelago in the Indian Ocean.
India had agreed to remove its troops from Maldives under the condition that a number of their civilians equivalent to the military presence are brought to operate the aircraft.
The opposition has been directing criticism at the administration asserting that the Indian personnel sent to Maldives as civilians are in reality military officials out of uniform and that the government has no way to ascertain otherwise, the portal claimed.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.
Latest
