India has announced plans to replace its military personnel operating three aviation platforms in the Maldives with "competent" Indian technical personnel, the External Affairs Ministry revealed on Thursday.
The decision comes amid assertions from New Delhi that it remains an important development partner for the island nation.
Addressing the media at his weekly briefing, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, "The present personnel will be replaced by competent Indian technical personnel."
Following the second meeting of the high-level core group aimed at addressing the issue of military personnel, the Maldivian foreign ministry had confirmed that India will withdraw its military personnel in two phases by May 10.
Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu announced that the first group of Indian military personnel will be withdrawn before March 10, with the remaining personnel to be withdrawn by May 10.
The core group meeting, held in Delhi on February 2, was established following discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Muizzu on the sidelines of the COP28 summit in Dubai in December.
Currently, approximately 80 Indian military personnel are stationed in the Maldives to operate two helicopters and a Dornier airplane which have been utilized for numerous medical evacuations and humanitarian missions.
Tensions between the two countries arose after Muizzu assumed power in November, with the president, perceived as pro-China, vowing to fulfill his election promise of removing Indian military personnel from the Maldives.
President Muizzu, who defeated the India-friendly incumbent Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in September's presidential runoff, reiterated his stance despite the strain in bilateral relations.
MEA spokesperson Jaiswal reaffirmed India's commitment to the Maldives as a development partner, stating, "We remain an important committed development partner for the Maldives."
Regarding India's development assistance to the Maldives, Jaiswal noted that while a certain amount was initially allocated, the figure was revised upward.
The budgetary allocation for 2023-24 initially stood at Rs 400 crore but was later revised to Rs 770.90 crore. In the interim budget for 2024-25, Rs 600 crore has been allocated as development assistance to the Maldives, with the possibility of further revisions once there is clarity on future developments.
The Maldives holds strategic importance for India in the Indian Ocean Region, with bilateral ties in defense and security witnessing significant progress under the previous government in Male.
In August 2022, Modi and former President Solih initiated the India-funded Greater Male Connectivity Project, aimed at enhancing infrastructure in the island nation through the construction of a 6.74 km long bridge and causeway link connecting the capital city Male with neighboring islands.
The Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP) is hailed as the largest infrastructure initiative in the Maldives, symbolizing the strengthened bilateral relations between India and the Maldives.
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