India Maldives Relations: Following the rift in relations between India and Maldives, India has said that it will replace its military personnel manning three aviation platforms in Maldives with ‘competent’ Indian technical personnel. Along with this, India has made it clear that it remains an important development partner of the island country.
“I would like to say that competent Indian technical personnel will be deployed in place of the existing personnel,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in his weekly press conference. A high-level core group has been formed to resolve the issue of military personnel deployed in Maldives. After the second meeting, the Foreign Ministry of Maldives had said that India will replace its military personnel with other personnel in two phases by May 10.
Both sides had decided to form a core group
Maldivian President Mohammed Muizzu had said on Monday that the first group of Indian military personnel would be sent back before March 10 and the remaining personnel would be sent back before May 10. The second meeting of the core group was held in Delhi on February 2.
Following a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Muizzu during the COP28 summit held in Dubai in December last year, the two sides decided to form a core group. Currently around 80 Indian military personnel are in Maldives who mainly assist in operating two helicopters and one aircraft. Hundreds of medical evacuation and humanitarian missions have been carried out with these helicopters and aircraft.
There has been tension in relations between the two countries since Muizzu came to power in November. Muizzu is widely seen as a pro-China leader. After assuming charge as President, he said that he would fulfill his election promise of expelling Indian military personnel from the country.
The help provided by India will continue
Jaiswal said that India remains a committed development partner of Maldives. On budgetary allocation under India’s development assistance to Maldives, Jaiswal said a fixed amount was allocated and it could be revised. The budgetary allocation for Maldives in FY 2023-24 was Rs 400 crore, but the revised estimates showed that the outlay increased to Rs 770.90 crore, almost double the initial amount. In the interim budget for the financial year 2024-25, an amount of Rs 600 crore has been made as development assistance to Maldives. Jaiswal said that the new figures can be revised once there is clarity on further progress.
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