New Maldives president wants ‘every single Indian military personnel’ removed from his country

Maldives’s incoming president Mohamed Muiz said he has raised the demand for every single Indian military personnel to be removed from his country’s soil ahead of his swearing-in ceremony next month.

The victory of the pro-China opposition figure in recent national elections in Maldives had dealt a blow to India that has traditionally had close ties with the tourist country and has a military presence there to counter Chinese influence in the Indian Ocean region.

“We don’t want any foreign military boots on Maldivian soil... I promised this to the people of the Maldives and I will live up to my promise from day one,” the new Maldivian president said, reported BBC.

On the night of his election victory during celebrations, Mr Muiz told his supporters that he wouldn’t stand for a foreign military staying in the Maldives against the will of its citizens.

The pro-China leader said he met the Indian ambassador a few days after being elected as the archipelago nation’s president and “told him very clearly that every single Indian military personnel here should be removed”, according to the BBC.

This comes shortly after he said he will request the Indian government to remove their troops on “day one” after assuming charge as a matter of his top priorities for Maldives, in a clear sign of removing any military presence against China.

“I have actually met with the Indian high commissioner a few days ago during the transition period and during that meeting itself, I had mentioned that we need this to be our top most priority,” Mr Muiz said.

The election of the leader of the People’s National Congress, viewed heavily as pro-China, is a serious diplomatic blow to India.

Mr Muiz came to power in Maldives in September end, riding high on the wave of repelling alleged threats to Maldives’s sovereignty by some Indian military personnel and continuing with his party’s long-standing “India out” strategy.

He will take charge from outgoing president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih who he accused of allowing India to have an unchecked presence in the country. Mr Solih is a staunch ally of India and had maintained a steady relationship with New Delhi during the course of his presidency.

“We have been a very peaceful country for centuries. We never had any foreign troops on our soil. We do not have a big military set up and with any foreign troops on our soil, we don’t feel secure,” Mr Muiz earlier had told Al Jazeera.

The president elect has not offered a clear tally of total Indian troops present on Maldivian soil.

He claimed that he will have a pro-Maldives policy after he was asked if his term will see a tilt towards China.

The number of Indian troops in the Maldives is unknown. Critics say the secrecy behind the agreement between the two nations’ governments regarding the placement of military personnel and their role has led to suspicion and rumour.

Known activities of the Indian military include operating two helicopters donated by India and assisting in the rescue of people stranded or faced with calamities at sea.