Maldives prez asks India formally to withdraw troops

The new president of the Maldives, Mohamed Muizzu, on Saturday formally asked India to withdraw its military personnel from the archipelago, and people familiar with the matter said it was agreed the two sides would discuss "workable solutions" to the issue.

- Rezaul H Laskar

Muizzu, who is closely aligned to former pro-China president Abdulla Yameen, made the request during a meeting with earth sciences minister Kiren Rijiju in Male.

Rijiju represented the Indian government at Muizzu's inauguration on Friday.

"At the meeting, President. Muizzu had formally requested Government of India to withdraw its military personnel from the Maldives," a readout from the Maldivian President's Office said.

Muizzu told Rijiju that during the presidential election in September, the Maldivian people had "given him a strong mandate to make the request to India" and he expressed the hope that "India will honour the democratic will of the people of the Maldives".

There was no official word from the Indian side on the development, though people familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity that it had been agreed the two governments will discuss "workable solutions for continued cooperation" through the use of two helicopters and a Dornier maritime surveillance aircraft provided by India to the Maldives.