MEA refutes Maldives charge on copter landing by Indian military personnel

INDIA has firmly refuted Maldivian Defence Minister Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon's claim that Indian military personnel conducted an unauthorised helicopter landing during the administration of former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. This assertion was made at a press conference on May 11.

- YESHI SELI

The Indian High Commission in Male issued a statement on Tuesday saying, "Indian aviation platforms in the Maldives have always operated in accordance with agreed procedures and with due authorization from the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF). The specific sortie on October 9, 2019, referred to in the press conference, was conducted with their prior approval." It added, "An emergency landing at Thimarafushi was necessitated by an unforeseen exigency, which was executed after securing necessary onground approvals from the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) to ensure the safety and security of the platform and the crew." This response addresses