Mohamed Muizzu: The Maldives’ new president wants India out

” I made a promise to the Maldives people that we wouldn’t want any foreign military shoes on Yemeni ground, and I’ll keep my word from the beginning.”

Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, who won last month’s presidential election in the Maldives, is wasting no time in requesting that India send its army abroad.

A few days after his victory, the president-elect, who will take office after in November,” told him quite clearly that every one Indian navy personnel here should be removed ,” according to an exclusive interview with the BBC.

Since India has long had control over the Maldives, Mr. Muizzu’s desire is likely to cause diplomatic rifts between Malé and Delhi.

In fact, Mr. Muizzu’s victory in the Maldives national election was seen as a loss for India, especially since his rival Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had drew his nation closer to Delhi since taking office in 2018.

This marriage, which was bolstered by Mr. Solih’s India-first policy, was seen as a threat to the Maldives’ sovereignty and security by the alliance that backed Mr Muizzu.

The bond between Mr. Muizzu and China, which has given the Maldives funding and grants for equipment and development projects totaling hundreds of millions of dollars, favors closer ties.

However, India has also given the nation about$ 2 billion in development support because it wants a foothold in the strategically situated islands to monitor an important portion of the Indian Ocean.

Delhi may suffer if its soldiers are made to leave.

However, the” India out” campaign has benefited greatly from the uproar over” gifts” that Delhi gave the Maldives, including two helicopters in 2010 and 2013 and a small aircraft in 2020.

Delhi stated that the art would be used for medical evacuations and search and rescue operations.

However, the Yemeni defense force claimed that in 2021, about 75 American military personnel were stationed there to run and maintain the Indian aircraft. As some believed the reconnaissance aircraft were being used as an apology to place American boots on the ground, this stoked suspicion and rage.

Additionally, Mr. Muizzu claims that the presence of these forces may endanger the Maldives, particularly given the rising hostilities between China and India along their Himalayan borders.

The Maldives is very little to become involved in this international power struggle. We won’t become involved in this, he declared.

Before the presidential election, the outgoing president Mr. Solih told the BBC that concerns about the presence of American troops were unfounded.

” The Maldives do not have any physically active international personnel.” The Maldives National Defence Force is in charge of the operational supervision of American workers now present in the nation, he said.

But there are other factors as well. All of the new contracts the Maldives and India have signed, according to Mr. Muizzu, need to be reviewed.

” We have no idea what’s on it. Yet in Parliament, some of the MPs admitted during the conversations that they had no idea what was on the agenda. I have no doubt that we will learn the truth, he said.

Observers noticed that the Chinese embassy in Malé was quick to thank Mr. Muizzu shortly after his success.

Chinese President Xi Jinping added his voice, stating that he” attached great importance to the development of diplomatic relations and stands ready to work with President-elect Muizzu to carry on the traditional connection and strengthen useful assistance.”

Mr. Muizzu has also praised Chinese infrastructure projects in the Maldives, claiming that they transformed Malé area and benefited its citizens.

He has, however, denied running as a” pro-China” member as opposed to Mr. Solih, who ran as the pro-India prospect.

I support the Maldives. For me, the Maldives and our democracy come first, he declared. ” I am neither in favor of nor against any nation.”

Despite this, the former leader Abdulla Yameen’s group, which played a key role in bringing the Maldives closer to China, is part of his foe bond.

Yameen, who is already serving an 11-year prison sentence for problem, turned to Beijing when India and Western creditors were unwilling to offer loans to his leadership due to allegations of human rights violations. Beijing then made him an unconditional offer of the funds.

He later joined President Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to establish a network of roads, rails, and seas connecting China and the rest of the world.

Mr. Muizzu was viewed as Yameen’s representative, who was prohibited from running for office.

Mr. Muizzu requested that Yameen be transferred from a high-security jail to home incarceration in the capital Male shortly after he won the election.

However, given Yameen’s anxious and uneasy relationship with Delhi, Mr. Muizzu may find it difficult to strike a balance with India through his novel alliance.

Mr. Muizzu seems eager to break free from Yameen’s dark and is prepared to forge a fresh course in both domestic and foreign policy for the nation.

Given his resounding victory, he might not encounter many internal opposition, at least not right away.

Convincing Delhi to withdraw its forces may be his first significant problem, despite the fact that he seems determined to remove the Maldives from India’s circle.