India announced on Friday that it had reached “mutually workable solutions” with the Maldives regarding the operation of three aircraft in the Indian Ocean archipelago, with plans for the withdrawal of all Indian military personnel who fly and maintain the platforms by May.
The agreement follows the second meeting of the high-level core group established by India and the Maldives to address the issue of military personnel deployment. The external affairs ministry of India stated that the solutions agreed upon by both sides would “enable continued operation of Indian aviation platforms that provide humanitarian and medevac services to the people of Maldives.”
According to a readout from the Maldivian foreign ministry, the solutions entail the Indian government replacing military personnel in one of the three aviation platforms by March 10, 2024, and completing the replacement of military personnel in the other two platforms by May 10, 2024.
While the Indian external affairs ministry’s statement did not explicitly mention the withdrawal of military personnel, details provided by the Maldives indicated a compromise. Previously, the Maldives had demanded the withdrawal of all Indian military personnel by March 15.
Bilateral relations between India and the Maldives are currently strained, with the Maldivian government taking steps to strengthen ties with China and reduce dependence on India in critical areas such as healthcare and food security.
Options considered by the Indian side to replace the over 75 military personnel currently deployed in the Maldives include employing civilian operators familiar with the aircraft, including retired personnel from the three services with experience in flying and maintenance.
The Maldives clarified earlier that Indian civilian workers could remain in the country to operate flights, but military personnel would have to leave.
In addition to addressing the aviation platform issue, the high-level core group discussed various aspects of bilateral cooperation aimed at enhancing the India-Maldives partnership, including expediting the implementation of development cooperation projects.
Both sides agreed to hold the next meeting of the core group in Male on a mutually convenient date. The meeting is expected to take place during the last week of February.
The core group was established following a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldivian President Muizzu on the sidelines of the COP28 meeting in Dubai. Muizzu has been vocal about his “India out” platform, calling for the withdrawal of Indian military personnel from the Maldives.
Apart from seeking Sri Lanka’s assistance for medical evacuation services and signing an agreement to purchase wheat from Turkey, the Maldives government has also appealed to China to increase tourist arrivals. India had provided the three aircraft to the Maldives for search and rescue operations, humanitarian assistance, and surveillance of the exclusive economic zone. Despite being operated by Indian personnel, the aircraft were under the direct control of the Maldives National Defence Force and carried out numerous medical evacuations and humanitarian missions.
