Male: Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, known for his pro-China tilt, delivered his first parliamentary address on Monday, reiterating his anti-India stance and asserting his nation’s sovereignty. He said that he had officially requested India to withdraw its troops from the Maldives by May 10, 2024, as per an agreement reached between the two countries. However, his speech was met with a boycott by the main opposition parties, who accused him of undermining democracy and alienating India, the Maldives’ traditional ally.
Muizzu, who came to power in November 2023 after defeating incumbent Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, said that he believed that a large majority of Maldivians supported his administration with the expectation that they would remove foreign military presence from the country. He said that the presence of Indian troops on three aviation platforms in the Maldives was a violation of the country’s sovereignty and independence. He said that he had initiated discussions with India on this issue and that the two sides had agreed on a set of mutually workable solutions to enable the continued operation of Indian aviation platforms that provide humanitarian service.
“As per the most recent discussions, military personnel on one of the three aviation platforms will be recalled before March 10, 2024. The military personnel on the remaining two platforms will also be recalled by May 10, 2024,” Muizzu was quoted as saying by The Edition newspaper. He said that the roughly 80 soldiers stationed in the Indian Ocean archipelago would be replaced by civilians. He also said that he would not allow any interference in the internal affairs of the Maldives by any foreign power.
Muizzu’s speech was boycotted by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and The Democrats, who hold a combined 51 seats in the 87-member parliament. The two parties had recently criticized Muizzu for his regime’s “stark” anti-India pivot and his closeness to China. They had also condemned the arrest of former president and MDP leader Solih on corruption charges, which they alleged was politically motivated. They said that Muizzu’s address was meant to diminish the parliament’s honor and that they would not attend it as a mark of protest.
The two parties also objected to the invitation of three cabinet members whom the parliament had rejected last week. They said that this was a sign of disrespect to the parliament and the constitution. They also questioned the credibility of Muizzu as the president and said that he was a puppet of former president Abdulla Yameen, who is currently serving a 15-year jail term for money laundering. They said that Muizzu had reversed the democratic gains made by the Solih administration and had jeopardized the stability and security of the Maldives and the region.
India and the Maldives have traditionally enjoyed close and friendly relations, based on historical, cultural, and strategic ties. India was one of the first countries to recognize the Maldives’ independence in 1965 and has provided extensive economic and military assistance to the island nation. India has also helped the Maldives in times of crisis, such as the 1988 coup attempt and the 2004 tsunami. However, the relations have been strained since Muizzu’s election, as he has pledged to end the country’s “India First” policy and has sought to deepen ties with China, which has invested heavily in the Maldives’ infrastructure and tourism sectors.
