President: Will soon reach the point where there are no foreign military

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, on Wednesday, said Maldives, by increasing its capabilities, will soon reach the point where there is no foreign military based in the country.

He made the remark while responding to a question posed by a member of the public on the ‘Raees ge Javaabu’ series; a platform that enables the public to get direct responses to their queries from the President via social media.

Responding to a question regarding the efforts underway to expel foreign military troops in the Maldives – President Muizzu said the highest priority was to ensure that there are no foreign military troops based in the Maldives. Noting that all efforts necessary to expel the Indian military troops based in the Maldives officially commenced on the say he assumed office, the president said discussions, in this trajectory, were proceeding at a speedy pace in accordance with the principles of diplomacy.

ރައީސްގެ ޖަވާބު
7 ފެބްރުވަރީ 2024

ހުޅުމާލެ، ފުލެޓް ނަންބަރު 21308، އަޙްމަދު ޝަރީފް، ރާއްޖޭގައި ތިބި ބޭރުގެ ސިފައިން ފޮނުވާލުމުގެ ކަންކަން ހިނގަމުންދާގޮތާއި މެދު ދެންނެވި ސުވާލަށް، ރައީސުލްޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ ދެއްވި ޖަވާބު pic.twitter.com/1cFwfZbHEH

— Government of Maldives (@governmentmv) February 7, 2024

“Hopefully, military personnel in one aviation platform will be withdrawn by March 10^th and the military personnel in the remaining platforms during May,” he said.

President Muizzu said the current efforts relate to increasing the capabilities of Maldivians, adding efforts are underway to make arrangements for Maldivians to independently undertake medical evacuation of emergency patients and the surveillance of the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

“I am assuring the people that the Maldives will be led to a point where there aren’t any foreign military troops in the country,” he said.

Expelling the Indian troops based in the Maldives is an electoral pledge of President Muizzu.

The Maldivian government reports that there are 88 Indian military personnel in Maldives for the operation and maintenance of helicopters and dornier aircrafts donated by the Indian government.