- India and Maldives form committee to address project challenges, says Mohamed Muizzu
MALE: Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has announced that India has agreed to withdraw its soldiers from the island nation, following his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai.
Muizzu said the Indian government has been consistent in its commitment to respect the democratic will of the Maldivian people, who voted for the removal of foreign military personnel in the October elections.
“We are now progressing into the technical aspects of the withdrawal process,” Muizzu told reporters in Male on Sunday, after returning from the United Arab Emirates.
India has stationed 77 troops in Maldives to operate two helicopters and a reconnaissance aircraft that it gifted to the country.
Muizzu said he and Modi also agreed to set up a high-level bilateral committee to address the challenges in implementing various projects funded by India in Maldives, especially the Thilamale bridge project, which will connect Male with three other islands.
India is a major donor and partner of Maldives, but relation have been strained in recent years due to China’s growing influence in the region.
