The Maldives Mohamed Muizzu President-elect’s call for Indian troops to leave the archipelago has raised questions about the relationship between the two countries and the factors behind this request.The Maldives a tropical paradise of islands and atolls in the Indian Ocean has long been a popular tourist destination. In this article, we will delve into the reasons behind the call for the withdrawal of Indian troops from the Maldives.
“We don’t want any foreign military boots on Maldivian soil… I promised this to the people of the Maldives and I will live up to my promise from day one.“
Mohamed Muizzu: New president of Maldives
Following his victory in the Maldives presidential election last month, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu is not holding back in demanding that India withdraw its soldiers.The president-elect, who is scheduled to take office later in November, revealed that he had seen the Indian envoy a few days after winning and had “made it very clear that every single Indian military personnel here should be removed.”Given that India has historically dominated the Maldives, Mohamed Muizzu’s proposal is likely to cause diplomatic rifts between Malé and Delhi.
In fact, India was considered to have suffered a setback upon Mohamed Muizzu’s victory in the Maldives presidential election, given that his opponent, incumbent Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, had brought his nation closer to Delhi since assuming office in 2018.The alliance supporting Mohamed Muizzu presented this alliance as a danger to the security and sovereignty of the Maldives, citing Mr. Solih’s “India first” policy as a driving force behind it.The alliance led by Mohamed Muizzu is in favour of deeper ties with China, which has given the Maldives hundreds of millions of dollars in grants and loans for infrastructure and development projects.
However, India has also given the nation roughly $2 billion in development assistance because it wants to establish a presence in the strategically placed islands so that it can keep an eye on a vital area of the Indian Ocean. It will be devastating for Delhi if its troops are compelled to withdraw.
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However, a commotion around “gifts” that Delhi sent the Maldives—two helicopters in 2010 and 2013 and a small aircraft in 2020—has greatly aided the “India out” movement.
According to Delhi, the aircraft would be utilised for medical evacuations as well as search and rescue operations.However, the Maldivian defence force reported in 2021 that some seventy-five Indian military personnel were stationed there to operate and maintain the Indian aircraft. This increased people’s mistrust and rage since they believed the reconnaissance planes were being used as a pretext to place Indian soldiers on the ground.Additionally, Mohamed Muizzu claims that the Maldives may be in danger due to the military’ presence, particularly given the escalating hostilities between China and India along their Himalayan border.
“The Maldives is too small to become involved in this quest for global dominance. We’re not going to get involved in this “he declared.
Before the presidential election, Mr. Solih, the outgoing president, told the BBC that concerns over the presence of Indian troops were unfounded.
“The Maldives is home to no overseas military troops who are currently on duty. The Maldives National Defence Force currently exercises operational authority over Indian forces stationed there, he stated.
It’s not only the aeroplane, though.Mohamed Muizzu declared that he was interested in going over every contract that the Maldives has recently signed with India. “We have no idea what’s within. During the debates in Parliament, a few Members of Parliament expressed their ignorance about the contents. We’ll find out, I’m sure of it,” he replied.
Observers saw that Mohamed Muizzu received swift congratulations from the Chinese envoy in Malé shortly after his victory.As he added, Chinese President Xi Jinping stated that he “stands ready to work with President-elect Muizzu to carry forward the traditional friendship, deepen practical cooperation.” He also attached “great importance to the development of bilateral relations.”
Additionally, Mr. Muizzu has praised Chinese infrastructure projects in the Maldives, claiming that the investments had improved Malé city and benefited its citizens. He has refuted claims that he is a “pro-China” candidate as opposed to Mr. Solih, who is a “pro-India” candidate.
“I support the Maldives. I prioritise the Maldives and our independence above anything else,” he declared. “I am not pro or against any country.”
Nevertheless, the party of former president Abdulla Yameen, who played a key role in bringing the Maldives closer to China, is part of his opposition alliance. Yameen, who is currently serving an 11-year jail sentence for corruption, turned to Beijing when lenders in India and the West refused to give money to his administration because of claims of human rights violations. Beijing offered Yameen the money without any conditions.Subsequently, he became a part of President Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative, which seeks to establish maritime, rail, and road connections between China and the global community.
Mr. Muizzu was perceived as a stand-in for Yameen, who was prohibited from running for office.
Mr. Muizzu petitioned the present government to transfer Yameen from a maximum-security jail to house detention in the capital city of Male as soon as he won the election. However, Mr. Muizzu’s new alliance may find it difficult to strike a balance with India given Yameen’s strained and uncomfortable relationship with Delhi.
Mr. Muizzu seems eager to leave Yameen’s shadow and is prepared to forge a new course for the nation’s international and internal policies.He might not encounter much internal opposition given his resounding win, at least not right away.Although he seems committed to removing the Maldives from India’s sphere of influence, getting Delhi to remove its troops might be his first major obstacle.
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