Maldives president-elect Muizzu says will remove 'Foreign troops and end economic enslavement'

The president-elect of the Maldives, Mohamed Muizzu, said he will start efforts to remove "foreign troops" based in the country on his first day in office, stressing that no foreign soldiers can be based in the Maldives against the wish of its people, a statement interpreted as a message to India in keeping with his party's election promise.

However, officials in India refuted his statement, telling ET on condition of anonymity that there are no Indian troops currently stationed in the Maldives.

ET had earlier reported that the Muizzu government might reduce the scope of defence ties with India once it took charge. Muizzu's party, when in opposition, had even opposed plans to have Indian military pilots in the Maldives for training local helicopter pilots.


Since 1988, defence and security has been a major area of cooperation between India and the Maldives. India has adopted a very flexible and accommodating approach in meeting Maldivian requirements of defence training and equipment. A comprehensive Action Plan for Defence was signed in April 2016 to consolidate defence partnership.

India provides the largest number of training opportunities for the Maldivian National Defence Force (MNDF), meeting around 70% of the country's defence training requirements. India has trained around 1,500 MNDF trainees over the past 10 years. MNDF has also been participating in various joint exercises with India's armed forces. The Indian Navy has also provided MNDF with air assets for air surveillance, among other requirements.

The president-elect said the country's economy was enslaved as well, with half of the nation's debt owed to a specific country. He expressed confidence in solving such issues through diplomatic channels. The Maldives's debt to China has soared manifold over the years.