India's External Affairs Ministry has said discussions are ongoing to explore ways in which Indian helicopters and Dornier aircraft in Maldives can be operated without interruption.
The withdrawal of foreign military personnel, particularly Indian troops, was a central point in Maldives President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's presidential campaign. It is also included among his targets for the first 100 days in office, and upon assuming power on November 17, Muizzu officially communicated the request to the Indian government. According to the government, there are 77 Indian military personnel in the Maldives.
In this regard, a high-level core committee was established by both the Maldives and India to negotiate the withdrawal of Indian troops. A recent meeting of the committee took place at the Maldives Foreign Ministry on Sunday, during which the Maldivian government formally requested the repatriation of all Indian military personnel by March 15.
Following the meeting, India's External Affairs Ministry issued a statement and said both countries are in discussion over the uninterrupted operation of Indian helicopters and Dornier aircraft in the Maldives.
"Both sides also held discussions on finding mutually workable solution to enable continued operation of Indian aviation platforms that provide humanitarian and medvac services to the people of Maldives," the statement read.
Interestingly, the brief statement issued by the Maldivian Foreign Ministry did not mention these discussions.
