New Delhi, May 3: As part of the mutual agreement, India will replace its military personnel at the last of the three aviation platforms in the Maldives by May 10.
This was decided during the Fourth Meeting of the India-Maldives High-level Core Group held in New Delhi on Friday.
The development comes as Maldives Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer is scheduled to visit India next week.
Zameer is to arrive in India on May 9, in the first official visit to India by a senior official of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s government, Adhadhu website reported.
The withdrawal of Indian military personnel manning the aviation platforms was a key campaign promise of President Muizzu, who is seen as pro-China.
India and Maldives had decided to set up the core group following a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Muizzu on the sidelines of the COP28 summit in Dubai in December last year.
On February 2, a high-level meeting took place in Delhi between India and the Maldives. As per the Maldivian foreign ministry, India had agreed to replace its military personnel operating three aviation platforms in the Maldives by May 10. The first phase of this process was completed by March 10
The military personnel, who numbered 88, are being replaced by civilians with expertise in operating these platforms. The military personnel were providing humanitarian and medical evacuation services to the Maldivian population via two helicopters and a Dornier aircraft for several years.
The Maldives Foreign Ministry put out the statement on Friday regarding replacement of the Indian personnel.
It said that during the discussions held at MEA, “both sides reviewed the existing bilateral cooperation. Discussions were held on a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including development and defence cooperation.
“Both sides noted with satisfaction that the Government of India will replace military personnel at the last of the three aviation platforms by 10 May and all the logistical arrangements are going ahead as per schedule,” it added.
“It was further agreed that the fifth meeting of the High-Level core Group will be held in Male’ on a mutually agreeable date during the month of June/July.”
India-Maldives relations have been choppy since the government of President Muizzu took office.
The Indian statement said that during the meeting today, the two sides “continued their discussions on wide ranging issues related to bilateral cooperation. This included defence cooperation, development cooperation projects, efforts to enhance bilateral trade and investment, and capacity building initiatives.”
“During the meeting, both sides also reviewed the ongoing efforts to enable continued operation of Indian aviation platforms that provide humanitarian and medvac services to the people of Maldives.”
“It was agreed to hold the next meeting of the High Level Core Group in Male on a mutually convenient date.”
