MALDIVES ASKS INDIA TO WITHDRAW TROOPS BEFORE MARCH 15

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has asked the Indian government to withdraw the Indian troops from the island nation before March 15, Maldives based Adhadhu newspaper reported on Sunday.

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This comes after a meeting between officials from the Indian High Commission in the Maldives and officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Male. Abdulla Nazim, the Policy Director of the Maldives President’s Office, told reporters that President Muizzu had proposed to withdraw Indian troops from the Maldives.

“During the meeting, the President proposed the removal of Indian troops before March 15. The government, the President’s Office and the President have proposed this date for the agenda of the meeting. Those discussions are now underway,”

Adhadhu newspaper quoted Nazim as saying at the press conference. However, the Ministry of External Affairs has not issued any statement on the reported meeting so far. Nazim further said that Indian troops cannot stay in Maldives and that is “what the people want,” the local newspaper reported.