Delivering on a promise made upon assuming office, President Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives Saturday formally called on India to pull-out its troops from the strategically located archipelago, plunging New Delhi into valid concerns that Chinese forces may not fill the gap, Indian media reported.
During a meeting with the visiting Indian Minister of Earth Sciences, Kiren Rijiju, Muizzu made the request, specifically urging the recall of personnel assigned to operate three aircraft patrolling the maritime territory.
In a brief statement, Muizzu’s office confirmed, “The President formally made the request when he met the Minister of Earth Sciences of India Kiren Rijiju, at the President’s Office earlier today.” Although the statement did not provide a timeline or specify the number of personnel to be withdrawn, Muizzu had declared the removal of foreign troops as a priority during his inauguration the previous day.
He stated, “The country will not have any foreign military personnel in the Maldives,” emphasising a commitment to respecting the red lines of other countries when it comes to security.—Web Desk
