India-Maldives row: Defence forces to wait for government directions on withdrawal of troops, say sources

Indian defence forces have said they will wait for directives from the Indian government on the issue of withdrawing its presence in the Maldives by March 15, sources told India Today. On Sunday, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu asked India to withdraw all its troops from the archipelago setting a deadline for March 15. The deadline was set shortly after President Muizzu returned from a state visit to China. 

The troops have been stationed in Maldives since 2010 as part of bilateral ties that involve training of Maldivian troops. According to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), India currently has 77 Indian soldiers and assets. There are also 12 medical personnel from the Indian armed forces.

Maldives and India have set up a high-level core group to negotiate the withdrawal of troops. On Sunday, Muizzu directed the Maldivian delegation participating in the meeting to inform Indian officials that the troops must be withdrawn by mid-March, Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim, principal secretary to the Maldivian president, told a media briefing in Male.

This is the 12th meeting to discuss the withdrawal of Indian troops.

Historically, India has maintained close ties with the Maldives. The island country relies on New Delhi to provide essential supplies such as rice, vegetables, medicines, and humanitarian aid to its population of 500,000. 

The diplomatic ties between the two countries came under focus last week after three deputy ministers in the Muizzu-led government posted derogatory social media posts against PM Narendra Modi following his visit to Lakshadweep.

Maldives-India bilateral relations have remained tense since Muizzu’s election in September, following his demand that Indian troops be swiftly withdrawn from the Maldives. Muizzu's presidential campaign, “India Out”, was in contrast to the pro-India policies of most of his predecessors.

Last month, his Cabinet decided against renewing a joint hydrographic survey initiative with India. 

Muizzu on Saturday, after returning from a five-day visit to China, said that no country had the right to "bully" the island nation. 

"We may be small, but that doesn’t give you the license to bully us," Mohamed Muizzu said at a press conference on Saturday, January 13. He was speaking to media persons after a week-long visit to China. A video of his remarks is going viral.

He further noted in his media statement that the Indian Ocean “does not belong to one particular country”, and that the Maldives “is not in anyone’s backyard”.  

Also read: 'Sometimes, things do not go in good way': S Jaishankar on Maldives row