Indian troops begin withdrawal from Maldives

Indian troops stationed in the Maldives have begun withdrawing from the island nation, its defence authorities said, in line with President Mohamed Muizzu’s ‘India out’ promise to his supporters.

“We can confirm that the Indian troop withdrawal is underway,” the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) said in a statement to news agency AFP on Tuesday, confirming the development.

Last month, the Ministry of External Affairs said a technical team from India had reached the Maldives to replace the troops that were stationed to operate the India-gifted aircraft and coppers. The deployment of a technical crew indicated that Male and New Delhi had reached a compromise after many rounds of bilateral discussion following Mr. Muizzu’s relentless demand that Indian troops leave the island nation.