Maldives opposition leader Abdullah Shahid targets Muizzu for anti-India rhetoric

New Delhi: Abdulla Shahid, the newly elected leader of the Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and former Foreign Minister, has dismissed claims regarding the presence of "thousands of Indian military personnel" in the Maldives, stating that the current administration's inability to provide specific numbers stems from the fact that there are no armed foreign soldiers stationed in the country.

Shahid's comments on Sunday come in the backdrop of accusations directed at the MDP by the current government, alleging the previous administration had permitted Indian soldiers to be based in the Maldives, thereby compromising national sovereignty.

These allegations played a significant role in the MDP's defeat in the 2023 presidential election to President Dr Mohamed Muizzu's Progressive Party of Maldives-People's National Congress (PPM-PNC) coalition, which campaigned heavily on an "India Out" narrative.


Shahid, who played a key role in furthering ties with India, criticised the Muizzu administration for perpetuating falsehoods to garner support, emphasising that their failure to disclose any agreements with India or evidence of Indian military presence validates the MDP's stance that such allegations were baseless.

He alleged that the inability to prove the existence of Indian soldiers or to reveal purportedly sovereignty-threatening clauses in agreements with India raises questions about the integrity of these claims.

The controversy over the Indian "military presence" has cast shadow over India-Maldives ties.

The opposition's critique underscores a broader concern regarding the government's commitment to its pre-election promises and the transparency of its actions concerning foreign military presence. Indian military personnel handling platforms will be replaced by civilians.