India withdraws 51 military personnel from Maldives before May 10 deadline

The government of the Maldives has reported that it will repatriate 51 Indian military personnel from the small island nation. According to the news agency PTI, the repatriation comes in response to an imposed deadline of May 10 set by the Maldivian government, requesting New Delhi to withdraw its troops.

The Indian military personnel were part of a deployment of 89 personnel in the Maldives. Following the government directive, 51 out of them have already left the island nation, with the remaining soldiers due to depart by the set deadline.

The Indian troops were stationed in the Maldives as part of a bilateral agreement between the two countries. Their presence was vital in providing technical, military, and logistical support to the Maldivian defence forces.

It has been confirmed that the Indian government has agreed to replace its military personnel with civilians in the Maldives. The Indian government also plans to sustain the operations of two helicopters and a Dornier aircraft provided to the country. The vehicles are intended to assist with medical and humanitarian evacuation services.

The exact number of Indian military personnel currently in the Maldives has not been publicly announced. However, according to the Maldives' official state media, Heena Waleed, the Chief Spokesperson of the President’s Office, has confirmed that as many as 51 Indian soldiers have been repatriated thus far.

Recently, diplomatic tensions escalated between India and Maldives over derogatory comments made by some Maldivian ministers concerning Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Lakshadweep. This visit was part of an Indian strategy to promote the Union Territory as a potential competitor in tourism to Maldives, a major player in the sector.

This situation became more complicated due to the recent political upheaval in Maldives, where President Mohammed Muizzu's People's National Congress (PNC) seized control of the Parliament last month. Winning over 60 of the total 93 seats, the PNC's ascendance signaled a discernible shift in Maldives' geopolitical alignment towards China, India's long-time adversary.

India and Maldives have a history of military collaboration, with Indian forces frequently deployed to train Maldivian troops in areas such as combat, reconnaissance, and rescue operations. However, the inflammatory comments made against PM Modi's visit and the realignment of Maldivian politics towards China have strained the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The Maldivian economy is facing severe financial strain, with the IMF warning of an impending crisis due to total foreign debts reaching $3.99 billion. Debt now stands at 113% of the nation's GDP, prompting calls for urgent policy adjustments. China holds 53% of public and guaranteed external loans, while India is another major creditor. There are indications that Maldives may pursue more infrastructure projects under the Belt and Road Initiative, although critics, including western nations led by the U.S., have labeled it as a 'debt trap'.