No Indian troops in Maldives post May 10, even in civvies: President
"There will be no Indian troops in the country come May 10. Not in uniform, not in civilian clothing. I state this with confidence," the pro-China leader said
On a day the Maldives signed a military pact with China, Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu asserted that no Indian troops will remain in his country after May 10, even in civilian attire.
The comment came less than a week after an Indian civilian team reached the Maldives to take charge of one of the three aviation platforms in the island nation from the Indian military personnel who have been told to leave.
Indian replacements
The Indian civilian team reached Male ahead of the March 10 deadline agreed by the two nations for the withdrawal of the first lot of Indian military personnel.
Muizzu wants all 88 Indian military personnel out of his country by May 10.
No civvies
Addressing a meeting in the Baa atoll Eydhafushi, the president said his government's success in expelling Indian troops had led to rumours that the civilians from India were actually troops but minus their uniform. This, he said, was a lie, news portal Edition.mv reported.
"There will be no Indian troops in the country come May 10. Not in uniform and not in civilian clothing. The Indian military will not be residing in this country in any form of clothing. I state this with confidence," the pro-China leader said on Monday, the day his country signed a pact with Beijing to get free military aid.
Anti-India
The Indian military personnel are manning the three Indian platforms that provide humanitarian and medical evacuation services to the people of the Maldives using two helicopters and a Dornier aircraft.
Muizzu won elections last year on an anti-India stance. Within hours of taking oath he asked India to take back its personnel from the strategically located archipelago in the Indian Ocean.
Edition.mv further reported that the first troops to depart the country are the Indian military personnel operating the two helicopters in Addu City.
Indian condition
The Indian military personnel in Haa Dhaalu atoll Hanimaadhoo and Laamu atoll Kahdhoo are expected to leave ahead of May 10.
India agreed to remove the troops from the Maldives under the condition that Indian civilians replace the military personnel to operate the aircraft.
Maritime rights
President Muizzu also said that his country was exerting efforts "to regain the southern maritime area deprived of the country in addition to expelling Indian troops from the Maldives".
The Maldives is located some 70 nautical miles from the Indian island of Minicoy in Lakshadweep and 300 nautical miles from the Indian mainland.