'People of Maldives Wouldn't Benefit': Ex-President Nasheed on Muizzu's Remark to Evict Indian Troops

A week after new Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu formally requested India to “withdraw” its military personnel from his country, his opponent and former President Mohamed Nasheed attacked the ruling government by saying “I don’t think this is the path that the people of Maldives would benefit from.”

Mohamed Nasheed, who had good ties with New Delhi, said he has spoken in the Parliament and continues to speak that the future of Maldives is in a strong relationship with India.

“We had presidential elections and there is a new government. The new government will follow a different foreign policy but I can’t see how that can change our relationship with India. I do know that there was some rhetoric on asking Indian troops in Maldives to leave but I don’t think this is the path that the people of Maldives would benefit from,” Nasheed said, according to ANI.

“I have spoken in the Parliament and will continue to speak to my people giving my view that our future lies in an ever-stronger relationship with India. I believe that the new government will come to understand the intricacies of this,” he added.

The reaction comes after a statement released by the Maldivian president’s office said Muizzu “formally requested the government of India to withdraw its military personnel from the Maldives” to Union minister Kiren Rijiju in a meeting last Saturday.

Muizzu, who had built his presidential campaign against Solih on the promise of expelling Indian military personnel from the country, won the presidential election in September, ousting Ibrahim Solih in a runoff.

Soon after the oath-taking on Friday, President Muizzu asserted that he was firmly committed to ensuring that his country remains “free” of any ”foreign military presence” to preserve its independence and sovereignty.

The Indian side, meanwhile, is hopeful of a solution which is viable to both the sides,” sources said. “The Indian side will not take any step which will create tension between the two countries. We are still hopeful that this cooperation will continue in one way or the other.”

There were 77 Indian military personnel in the Maldives. There were 24 Indian military personnel to manage the first helicopter, 25 Indians to manage the Dornier aircraft, 26 personnel to manage the second helicopter, and two more for maintenance and engineering, Undersecretary for Public Policy of the Presidential Office, Mohamed Firuzul Abdul Khaleel has said.

The Maldives is one of India’s key maritime neighbours in the strategic Indian Ocean Region and the overall bilateral ties including in areas of defence and security have been on an upward trajectory under the government of Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. The Maldives is also one of the biggest beneficiaries of India’s Neighbourhood First policy.