On Saturday Maldivian Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer said 76 Bharatiya military personnel were replaced by civilian personnel sent by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, which manufactured the helicopter donated by the Bharatiya government.
While addressing a press conference on Saturday, Moosa Zameer said that Bharatiya soldiers were deployed in Hanimaadhoo, Kadhdhoo and Gan. He announced that 26 soldiers withdrew from Gan between March 7-9, while another 25 soldiers withdrew from Hanimaadhoo between April 7-9 and 12 withdrew from Kadhdhoo on May 7, according to the media reports.
Maldivian Minister of Foreign Affairs said that the final batch of 13 soldiers withdrew from Kadhdhoo on May 9. He stated that civilians have been brought in to replace Indian soldiers and the civilian crew will leave in April 2026.
He said, ‘Civilians have been brought in to replace all of them, to maintain and manage [the aircrafts]. We want to note that only the necessary number had been here before, as well’.
Zameer said that the civilian personnel were sent by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. He further stated that the letter of exchange signed between Maldives and India mentions when the civilian crew will depart from Maldives.
As per the news report, the contract period of the 26-member crew in Gan and 25-member crew in Kadhdhoo expires in February 2025. Furthermore, the contract period of the 25-member crew in Hanimaadhoo expires in February 2026.
Comments