Amid the raging diplomatic tension between India and the Maldives, Male has set a March 15 deadline for New Delhi to withdraw all its troops from the island country.
Interestingly, Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu’s direction came days after his visit to China.
“Indian military personnel cannot stay in the Maldives. This is the policy of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and that of this administration,” Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim, the public policy secretary at the President’s Office, said.
There are 88 Indian military personnel in the Maldives, as per the government figures.
India and the Maldives have been locked in a diplomatic row after a few ministers of the Muizzu government mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media over his recent visit to Lakshadweep.
Male placed three deputy ministers under suspension to defuse the tension even as India summoned the Maldivian envoy in New Delhi and lodges strong protests over the alleged derogatory remarks made against the prime minister.
According to Maldivian media reports, both the countries have set up a high-level core group to negotiate the withdrawal of troops and the held its first meeting at the Foreign Ministry Headquarters in Male’ on Sunday morning.
Indian High Commissioner Munu Mahawar was also present at the meeting.
Muizzu, a pro-China leader, had demanded the withdrawal of Indian troops from the Maldives soon after taking oath as the president on November 17 last year.