Muizzu: In discussion with India for removal of Indian troops from Maldives

President-elect Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has revealed that discussions are ongoing with India for the removal of Indian military troops presently based in the Maldives.

In an interview to foreign news outlet Bloomberg, Muizzu said he was not agreeable for Indian militias, or in fact, any other foreign militias, to be based in the Maldives.

Muizzu said he views the ongoing discussions with India, for the removal of Indian troops in the Maldives, his most prominent pledge during the campaign for the presidential election, as “successful”.

The president-elect described outgoing President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih permitting the opportunity for Indian troops to be stationed in the Maldives, as an act that directly hindered the independence and sovereignty of Maldives as well as allowed India to concern themselves with the domestic conflicts within the nation.

He also said the order to remove Indian troops from the Maldives does not amount to a permit for Chinese military to become based in the Maldives, stressing he will not permit this.

Muizzu also stressed he did not wish for the Maldives to enter the power wager between India and China.

In all his interviews to foreign news outlets following his election, Muizzu has reiterated his intention to move forward with the removal of Indian troops from the Maldives.

He also reaffirmed that Maldives’ relations with China will only be on grounds of working for the mutual benefit of both nations.

Foreign news outlets have labeled Muizzu, as pro-China, to which he responded by remarking he is only pro-Maldives.