Maldives Trying to Boost Defences After Telling Indian Troops to Leave

Defense News ,Maldives :- The newly elected president of the Maldives, Mohamed Muizzu, has pledged to enhance the country's military capabilities to protect its extensive maritime territory. This comes in the wake of his directive for the withdrawal of Indian troops from the archipelago, signaling a strategic shift in alliances.

During his inaugural address to parliament, Muizzu outlined his vision to transform the modest Maldivian National Defence Force (MNDF) into a modern military force capable of effectively patrolling its vital seas, strategically positioned along key global shipping lanes.

The pro-China leader reaffirmed that India would commence the withdrawal of its troops, including three maritime reconnaissance aircraft, starting from March 10, with the process expected to conclude within two months. Despite New Delhi's perception of the Indian Ocean archipelago being within its sphere of influence, Muizzu's election in September marked a shift towards closer ties with China, the Maldives' largest external creditor.

Expressing his commitment to bolstering the nation's defense capabilities, Muizzu stated, "I believe that the modern military capability to defend the country by road, sea, and air should be strengthened in the Maldives. We have started to do that now." He also emphasized that the MNDF would soon have the capacity to conduct round-the-clock surveillance of the Maldives' extensive Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covering 900,000 square kilometers (347,000 square miles).

Tensions between the Maldives and India escalated recently when the Maldives accused India's coastguard of entering the northern part of its EEZ and intimidating local fishing vessels. Muizzu conveyed his decision to not extend a 2019 agreement for joint hydrographic surveying, expressing reluctance to grant "a foreign nation the power to measure and map the Maldivian oceans and coastlines."

Situated 800 kilometers (500 miles) across the equator, the Maldives has emerged as one of South Asia's most exclusive tourist destinations. However, recent diplomatic strains with India, exacerbated by social media comments from junior ministers, prompted Indian celebrities to call for a boycott of the Maldives. With tourism constituting nearly a third of the Maldives' economy, the evolving geopolitical dynamics are likely to have significant economic implications.