Maldives Calls on India to Withdraw Military Forces

The leadership of the Maldives has formally requested that India withdraw its military forces stationed in the islands by March 15th, according to reports by Indian television.

This issue was discussed during a meeting between representatives of the Indian High Commission in the Maldives and officials from the Maldivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Indian television report, citing Maldivian media, highlighted that officials from both countries deliberated on the presence of Indian forces in the Maldives, and the Maldivian government has asked New Delhi to complete the withdrawal by March 15th.

Earlier, the President of the Maldives, Mohamed Solih, had announced that the Indian government had agreed to withdraw its soldiers from the Maldives.

India and the Maldives have been actively cooperating in defense matters since 1988 when the Indian military, at the request of then-President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, thwarted a coup attempt by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Currently, there are 88 Indian soldiers stationed in the Maldives, overseeing radar stations and surveillance aircraft that are maintained by New Delhi. Indian warships also assist in patrolling the exclusive economic zone of the Maldives.

This request for the withdrawal of Indian military forces marks a significant development in the relationship between the Maldives and India and may have broader geopolitical implications in the region.