India finds 'mutually workable solutions' for operating 3 aviation platforms in maldives
AMID ongoing diplomatic tension, India and Maldives have found “mutually workable solutions” for operating three aviation platforms in the Indian Ocean archipelago, by replacing all Indian military personnel, who fly and maintain the aircraft, by May.
Following the second meeting of the India-Maldives high-level core group in Delhi, set up to address the issue of withdrawal of Indian military personnel from the island nation, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the solutions worked out by the two sides would “enable continued operation of Indian aviation platforms that provide humanitarian and medevac services to the people of Maldives”.
“During the meeting, both sides continued their discussions on wide-ranging issues related to bilateral cooperation towards identifying steps to enhance the partnership, including expediting the implementation of ongoing development cooperation projects,” the MEA said.
Last month, Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu asked India to withdraw all its military personnel from the island nation by March 15.
It was agreed to hold the next meeting of the high-level core group in Male’ on a mutually convenient date, it added.
Meanwhile, the Maldivian Foreign Ministry, in its statement, said that India will replace its military personnel in the three aviation platforms in the Maldives by May 10 and the first phase of the process would be completed by March 10.
“Both sides agreed that the Government of India will replace the military personnel in one of the three aviation platforms by March 10 and will complete replacing military personnel in the other two platforms by May 10,” the Maldivian foreign ministry said.
The ties between India and Maldives have come under some strain since Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu came to power in November.
At present, around 80 Indian military personnel are in the Maldives primarily to operate two helicopters and an aircraft that carried out hundreds of medical evacuations and humanitarian missions.
Muizzu, widely seen as a pro-China leader, maintained after assuming charge as the president that he would keep his election promise of evicting Indian military personnel from his country.
Muizzu, 45, defeated India-friendly incumbent Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in the presidential runoff held in September last year.
The Maldives is one of India’s key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean Region and the overall bilateral ties including in areas of defence and security witnessed an upward trajectory under the previous government in Male.
Muizzu was sworn in as the new Maldivian president on November 17.
A day after taking charge of the top office, he called for the withdrawal of Indian military personnel from the Maldives.
After the first meeting of the core group on January 14, the Ministry of External Affairs said that sides were looking at finding a mutually workable solution to enable the continued operation of Indian aviation platforms that provide humanitarian and medical evacuation services to the people of Maldives.
