India and Maldives in Crucial Talks to Resolve Military Presence Dispute

Defense News ,India :- India and the Maldives are currently engaged in crucial talks on Friday, focusing on finding a mutually agreeable solution to sustain the operation of Indian military platforms in the island nation, according to individuals familiar with the matter. This marks the second meeting of the India-Maldives high-level core group, taking place in Delhi, occurring over two weeks after the initial meeting in Male failed to make significant progress on the contentious issue.

The ongoing core group meeting aims to identify a solution that is mutually acceptable, as stated by one of the sources mentioned earlier.

The decision to establish the core group was made following a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldivian President Muizzu on the sidelines of the COP28 summit in Dubai in December.

In the previous month, President Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives requested India to withdraw all its military personnel from the island nation by March 15. Currently, approximately 80 Indian military personnel are in the Maldives, primarily tasked with operating two helicopters and an aircraft that have conducted numerous medical evacuations and humanitarian missions.

The relationship between the two countries has faced strain since Muizzu assumed power in November. As a perceived pro-China leader, Muizzu has maintained his election promise to evict Indian military personnel from the country. The 45-year-old leader defeated the India-friendly incumbent Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in the presidential runoff held in September last year.

The Maldives holds strategic importance as one of India's key maritime neighbors in the Indian Ocean Region. The overall bilateral ties, including defense and security cooperation, saw positive development under the previous government in Male.

Muizzu was sworn in as the new Maldivian president on November 17. Soon after taking office, he called for the withdrawal of Indian military personnel from the Maldives.

Following the first core group meeting on January 14, the Ministry of External Affairs stated that both sides are actively exploring a mutually workable solution to ensure the continued operation of Indian aviation platforms providing humanitarian and medical evacuation services to the people of the Maldives.