GLOBAL VOICE
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu discussed the contentious issue of pulling Indian troops from the island nation at a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of COP28 Summit in Dubai last week. Modi and Muizzu also agreed to set up a high-level committee to further strengthen development and economic cooperation between the two nations.
Speaking to reporters at the Velana International Airport (VIA) in Maldives after his first overseas tour, Muizzu told reporters that New Delhi had agreed to withdraw its military presence from the country. He also said that an agreement was reached to withdraw Indian military personnel, which is currently in progress at a “technical level”.
There are an estimated 77 Indian soldiers currently stationed in the Maldives. Last month, in his first speech after he won the presidential elections in September, Muizzu vowed to remove all foreign military personnel from his country, including Indian troops. This was also listed among his targets for the first 100 days in office.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi skipped Muizzu’s oath-taking ceremony in Malé held later, as relations between New Delhi and Malé remained on edge on this issue.
Muizzu also broke another tradition – Turkey was his first overseas visit, instead of India as has been the norm with previous Maldives presidents.
Muizzu told reporters later that the committee would “take immediate decisions” with respect to projects, including the biggest one – the bridge near Male. He said the panel would also weigh in on “situations arising concerning loans and other national crises”.
The Greater Male Connectivity Project is a mega infrastructure initiative by India in the Maldives, which seeks to build a 6.74-km-long bridge and causeway link between Male and three nearby islands.
