India, Maldives to discuss 'solutions' for Indian military assets presence

Even as the new Maldives government has called for the "withdrawal" of Indian military personnel from the country, both New Delhi and Malé have agreed to "discuss workable solutions" on the presence of Indian military assets as they "serve the interests of the people of Maldives", sources have said.

The development comes after a meeting between Indian minister Kiren Rijiju and the new Maldives President Dr Mohamed Muizzu in the capital Male on Saturday (Nov 18). The Indian earth sciences minister, a legislator from Arunachal Pradesh, was in the Indian Ocean Island country to represent India at the oath-taking ceremony of the new President on Friday (Nov 17).

A readout from the Maldives government on the meeting said, "While discussing the matter with Minister Kiren Rijiju, President Dr Muizzu also acknowledged the significant role of the two helicopters in providing numerous emergency medical evacuations."

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He appreciated their role in monitoring and combating drug trafficking. Indian military assets like helicopters and Dornier aircraft gifted to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) are seen as central to medical evacuation, to monitor and combat drug trafficking in the country. They have also contributed significantly in areas like humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and combating illegal maritime activities in Maldives.

Over the past five years, Indian personnel have executed more than 500 medical evacuations, saving 523 Maldivian lives. This year alone witnessed 131 evacuations, with 140 and 109 evacuations conducted in the preceding two years.

Moreover, more than 450 multifaceted missions have been carried out to safeguard the maritime security of the Maldives, with 122 missions in the last year, and 152 and 124 missions undertaken in 2021 and 2020, respectively.

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Incidentally, earlier on Saturday (Nov 18), Indian Coast Guard on deputation in Maldives, along with MNDF Central Area Command were involved in a medical evacuation of a 36-year-old female in critical condition from Th. Atoll Hospital to the Male City on an India-gifted MNDF Dornier Aircraft.

During the meeting, President Muizzu had formally requested the Government of India to "withdraw" its "military personnel" from the Maldives.

According to the official readout, President Muizzu reiterated the democratic mandate he received in the September Presidential Election, stating, "The Maldivian people had given him a strong mandate to make the request to India, and [he] expressed the hope that India will honour the democratic will of the people of the Maldives."

President Muizzu had made this his key election issue, even as his supporters have been seen behind the "India Out campaign" which the previous government had strongly come out against.

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Indian military personnel are stationed in the Maldives to operate military platforms. However, it is crucial to note that these platforms are under the complete command and control of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), something pointed by the previous Maldives government. 

Important to note, that during the oath-taking ceremony of the previous Maldives President in 2018, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was himself present.

The current President Muizzu is seen as supportive of China. During his meeting with Chinese President Xi's special envoy, Shen Yiqin, who came to the country to attend the oath-taking ceremony, he told her that his tenure "marks a new chapter in the shared historic friendship between the two countries"