India and the Maldives are set to convene their second Core Group meeting in the national capital, focusing on the presence of Indian military personnel in the island nation, sources said.
The discussion, led by a delegation comprising both government and military representatives, is anticipated to unfold later in the day.
This follows the initial meeting of the High-Level Core Group held in Male on January 14, wherein the framework for ongoing evacuation and humanitarian operations in the Maldives was outlined.
The timing of the meeting is noteworthy, coinciding with internal political turbulence in the Maldives as President Mohammad Muizzu faces challenges to his leadership.
Meanwhile, the interim budget 2024 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday outlined a deduction in development assistance to the Maldives from Rs 770 crore last year to the current allocation of Rs 600 crore.
On the other hand, Maldivian Jumhooree Party (JP) leader Qasim Ibrahim has urged President Muizzu to formally apologize to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian people .
The Maldivian political landscape has been further stirred as the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), holding a parliamentary majority, signals plans to submit a motion for the impeachment of President Muizzu. This development comes on the backdrop of clashes within the parliament ovaer disagreements concerning the approval of four cabinet members.
Muizzu, who secured victory in the presidential runoff last September, has encountered diplomatic tensions with India since taking office.
The latest point of contention arose when the Maldives granted permission for a Chinese research vessel to dock at the Male port, despite India's reservations about the expanding presence of the Chinese navy in the Indian Ocean.
The geographical proximity of the Maldives to India, situated just 70 nautical miles from the island of Minicoy in Lakshadweep and 300 nautical miles from the mainland's western coast, underscores its strategic importance in the Indian Ocean Region.
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