The government of India has agreed to withdraw the Indian military personnel present in the Maldives, assures President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.

The president said this while speaking to press, after returning home following the conclusion of his first official trips abroad since assuming officer on November 17, to Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

President Muizzu wrapped up his trip to UAE and returned on Sunday afternoon.

Speaking to press, the president assured that the government of India has given its commitment to respect the desires of the Maldivian people and abstain from accommodating foreign military presence in the island nation.

Shedding light on his administration’s approach on ensuring the position of Maldives as a welcoming and hospitable nation, President Muizzu touched upon the significance of mutual respect for security boundaries with other countries.

As such, he affirmed that the government of Maldives remains committed to employ diplomatic channels as the primary instrument to ensure the absence of foreign military presence on its soil.

President Muizzu also revealed that he had engaged in multiple productive discussions with representatives of the government of India, particularly to address the withdrawal of Indian military personnel from the island nation.

The Maldivian leader detailed his meetings with top government officials from India on the second day of assuming office, during which he had officially requested the Indian government to withdraw its military personnel from the Maldives.

Further, President Muizzu stated that an agreement was reached to withdraw Indian military personnel, which is currently in progress at a technical level, following a series of fruitful meetings and discussions.

Noting that he had met India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the 28th Session of the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai, President Muizzu revealed that they agreed to establish a high-level committee comprising senior government officials representing both countries, tasked with coordinating efforts to address the challenges associated with ongoing development projects in the Maldives.

President Muizzu also expressed his desire to witness the swift completion of the withdrawal of Indian military personnel from the Maldives and sought to resolve the issue through diplomatic cooperation.

During his presidential campaign, Dr. Muizzu and his teams had claimed that the number of Indian military personnel in the Maldives exceeded 1,000. However, his administration confirmed that there are 77 military personnel from neighboring India, present in the Maldives currently, shortly after assuming office.