Withdraw troops from Maldives by 15th March – Maldives tells India

More than 100 bilateral agreements with India will also be reviewed

Male (Maldives) – Maldivian President Mohammad Muizzu has asked India to withdraw Indian troops stationed in Maldives by 15th March. Currently, 88 soldiers and officers of the Indian Army are stationed in Maldives.

Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim, Public Policy Secretary in the Office of the President of Maldives, told a press conference that President Muizzu has officially asked India to withdraw its troops by 15th March. According to the policy of the Muizzu Government, the Indian Army cannot stay in the Maldives. The people of Maldives have given a strong majority to the new Government to request India to withdraw its troops. The new Government of Maldives is now reviewing over 100 bilateral agreements with India.

Maldives and India have formed a high-level group to discuss the formula for troop withdrawal. In this regard, the first meeting of this group was held on 14th January at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Male. Indian High Commissioner Munu Mahawar was present at this meeting. Nazim confirmed the reports that such a meeting was held and said that the main topic of the meeting was the request to withdraw the army by 15th March.

Editorial Perspective

It is not wrong for Indians to think that the Indian Government should ignore such instructions of Maldives and take control of it. After the withdrawal of Indian troops, if Chinese troops are deployed there, it would be a threat to India. Hence, it would be a better option to take control of Maldives instead !