Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu Urgently Requests Indian Troop Withdrawal

New Delhi: The newly inaugurated President of the Maldives, Mohamed Muizzu, wasted no time in formally requesting the withdrawal of Indian troops from the island nation, a day after assuming office. The announcement, made through a press release by the president's office on Saturday (November 18), followed his meeting with Indian Earth Sciences Minister Kiren Rijiju, who had attended the swearing-in ceremony.

While the Maldives president's office made the request public, there has been no official response from India. Rijiju's social media post, limited to conveying Prime Minister Narendra Modi's greetings and reaffirming India's commitment to bolster bilateral cooperation, did not address the withdrawal request.

Muizzu's victory over incumbent Ibrahim Solih was underscored by a campaign prominently centered on the pledge to compel India to withdraw its alleged military presence in the Indian Ocean archipelago. The opposition's rallying cry of 'India Out' aimed to critique Solih's perceived close ties with New Delhi.

In an interview with Channel News Asia, President Muizzu emphasised the recalibration of the Maldives' foreign policy as a primary focus within the initial 100 days of his administration. He reiterated the withdrawal of Indian troops as a paramount agenda item, citing the electorate's mandate during the campaign to remove foreign military presence, regardless of the country involved.

"The people of the Maldives have unequivocally mandated me to eliminate foreign military presence. Whether it's India or any other nation, it holds the same significance for us," Muizzu affirmed to the Singapore-based news channel.