Maldives Ex-Minister Denounces President Muizzu's Indian Troops Claim as 'Lies'

Post by: Dr. Amrinder Pal Singh

Former Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid strongly refutes President Mohamed Muizzu's assertion of "thousands of Indian military personnel," categorizing it as part of a larger pattern of falsehoods. Shahid, now the newly elected president of the Maldivian Democratic Party, took to social media to express skepticism, stating that after 100 days in office, it is evident that Muizzu's claims lack credibility. He emphasizes the need for transparency and insists that the truth must prevail.

President Muizzu's party centered its election campaign on the objective of removing Indian troops from the Maldives. Currently, there are approximately 70 Indian troops stationed in the country, alongside Dornier 228 maritime patrol aircraft and two HAL Dhruv helicopters.

On the second day of assuming office, President Muizzu officially requested the Indian government to withdraw its military personnel from the Maldives. This move aligns with his party's campaign promise.

Notably, in December of the previous year, Muizzu had claimed that, following talks with the Indian government, an agreement was reached to withdraw Indian military personnel. He detailed a negotiated timeline, with the withdrawal of military personnel from one of the three aviation platforms set before March 10, 2024, and the withdrawal from the remaining two platforms scheduled before May 10, 2024.

However, Abdulla Shahid challenges the credibility of these claims, pointing out the lack of specificity and transparency in the administration's statements. Shahid questions the truth behind the proposed withdrawal timeline and underscores the importance of factual information.

In response to Muizzu's request for withdrawal, the Ministry of External Affairs in India announced plans to replace military personnel at aviation platforms in the Maldives with competent Indian technical personnel. This move aims to maintain strategic capabilities while addressing concerns raised by the Maldivian government.

As the situation unfolds, skepticism surrounds Muizzu's claims and the proposed withdrawal timeline, with Abdulla Shahid highlighting the significance of transparency and truth in diplomatic matters. The complexity of diplomatic negotiations between the Maldives and India adds layers to the ongoing discourse regarding the presence of Indian military personnel in the Maldives.

#breakingnews #worldnews #headlines #topstories #globalUpdate #dxbnewsnetwork #dxbnews #dxbdnn #dxbnewsnetworkdnn #MaldivesPolitics #MuizzuAdministration #AbdullaShahid #IndianTroops #DiplomaticRelations #TransparencyMatters #MaldivesSecurity #ForeignPolicy #TruthPrevails #DiplomaticNegotiations #MilitaryPresence #MaldivesIndiaRelations #PoliticalDiscourse