The last batch of Bharatiya military personnel stationed on the Island Nation, Maldives, has been repatriated, meeting President Mohamed Muizzu’s deadline of May 10 for their complete withdrawal.
Repatriation of some 90 Bharatiya military personnel stationed in the Maldives was a key pledge of Muizzu during his presidential campaign last year.
Moreover, the first batch of Bharatiya military personnel was withdrawn from Maldives in early March, followed by the departure of the second batch in April, totalling 51 soldiers.
Following Muizzu’s pro-China move, tensions escalated between Bharat and the Maldives which insisted on the withdrawal of Bharatiya military personnel operating three military platforms in the country by May 10.
As per the Maldivian media report, although all Bharatiya military personnel have withdrawn from the country, Male has not provided the final count.
These soldiers operated helicopters and aircraft gifted by Bharat, aiding infrastructure maintenance during their tenure. The withdrawal followed four rounds of meetings between Bharat and the Maldives, with the final discussions held in New Delhi on May 3.
Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed the return of the first two batches and the deployment of Bharatiya technical personnel to operate the aviation platforms.
Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer’s visit to Bharat coincided with these developments, underscoring the importance of dialogue and diplomacy in resolving bilateral issues and expressed gratitude for Bharat’s support, emphasizing the strong ties between the two nations.
With a special place in initiatives like SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and the Neighbourhood First Policy’ of the Modi government, Maldives is also Bharat’s key maritime neighbor in the Indian Ocean Region.
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