Ahead of the imminent withdrawal of Indian military forces from the Maldives, the nation's Foreign Minister, Moosa Zameer, arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday for an official visit aimed at bolstering bilateral relations.
India has committed to withdrawing its military personnel from the Maldives by May 10, a deadline set by President Mohamed Muizzu.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) extended a warm welcome to FM @MoosaZameer of the Maldives via its official communication channel, X (formerly Twitter), stating, "Warm welcome to FM @MoosaZameer of Maldives on his official visit to India. Discussions on bilateral and regional issues and seeking ways to provide impetus to our multifaceted relationship lie ahead."
According to the MEA, Minister Moosa Zameer is scheduled to meet with External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar to deliberate on regional and bilateral matters of mutual concern.
In an official statement, the MEA elaborated, "Moosa Zameer, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives, will be in India on an official visit on 09 May 2024. During his visit to New Delhi, Foreign Minister Zameer will meet the External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar for discussions on bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest."
Highlighting the significance of the visit, the MEA emphasized, "Maldives is India's key maritime neighbor in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), and Foreign Minister Zameer's visit is expected to lend further momentum to the bilateral cooperation between the two countries."
Upon his arrival in New Delhi, Maldives Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer shared his excitement on X, stating, "Arrived in New Delhi on my first bilateral official visit to India! Looking forward to productive discussions, strengthening ties, and experiencing the vibrant culture of India."
India and Maldives convened the fourth bilateral High-Level Core Group meeting, where they addressed the replacement of Indian military personnel from the Maldives by the May 10 deadline. The administration reaffirmed its commitment to transferring the personnel before the stipulated deadline. Previously, the Maldives administration, under Mohamed Muizzu's leadership, publicly urged India to withdraw its troops from Male.
Last month, the MEA announced the arrival of the first batch of Indian technical personnel in the Maldives to replace the defense personnel. India and the Maldives have conducted two high-level core group meetings, with a third meeting scheduled to occur soon.
Muizzu, perceived as pro-Chinese, has emphasized the return of Indian military personnel as a top foreign policy priority for the country. Media reports indicate that currently, around 70 Indian troops, along with Dornier 228 maritime patrol aircraft and two HAL Dhruv helicopters, are stationed in the Maldives.
Previously, tensions escalated between India and the Maldives after certain Maldivian politicians, including ministers, made derogatory remarks about PM Modi's visit to Lakshadweep. This strained diplomatic relations between the two nations. However, following widespread criticism, the island nation suspended three ministers from their posts on January 7. The suspended ministers were Mariyam Shiuna, Malsha Shareef, and Mahzoom Majid.
