Maldives intensifies dispute with India through troops ultimatum

The Maldives has formally requested that India withdraw its troops from the island nation by 15 March, worsening bilateral relations between the two countries. The demand was made during the first meeting of a high-level core group between the two sides. Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim, the public policy secretary in President Mohamed Muizzu's office, stated that Indian military personnel cannot remain in the Maldives, as this is the policy of the current administration. India has approximately 80 troops in the Maldives, stationed to maintain and operate helicopters and an aircraft donated by India in the past. The removal of Indian troops from the islands was an election pledge of President Muizzu, who has long advocated for reducing India's influence in the country. India and the Maldives held a meeting where they discussed finding mutually beneficial solutions to allow the operation of Indian aviation platforms providing humanitarian aid and medical evacuation services to the Maldivian people. However, the meeting did not establish a timeline for the withdrawal of Indian soldiers. Tensions between the two countries escalated after three deputy ministers in Maldives made derogatory comments about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media, leading to their suspension. President Muizzu recently visited China, where he met President Xi Jinping and other officials, resulting in an agreement to elevate relations between the two countries to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. In response to social media backlash over the ministers' comments, President Muizzu stated that the Maldives would diversify its food imports and overseas healthcare services to reduce dependence on India. He mentioned plans to import food from Turkey and medicine from Europe and the US, as well as offering healthcare options in Dubai and Thailand. Meanwhile, hashtags calling for a boycott of the Maldives were trending on social media in India. Some analysts believe that President Muizzu's strong comments indicate a foreign policy approach that is less focused on India. However, others warn that such public comments may cause irreparable damage to India-Maldives relations. Critics also argue that President Muizzu's plans to reduce dependencies on India for food and medicine are not practical and that he is attempting to generate anti-India sentiments ahead of the parliamentary elections in March. Furthermore, it is suggested that President Muizzu is taking a stronger stance towards India due to the support he receives from Islamist hardliners and ultra-conservative Salafis in the country. For the Maldives, a small island nation, India is a crucial partner for food, infrastructure development, and healthcare. Some residents in Male are concerned about India's reaction to the diplomatic spat but are also resentful of India's dominance in the archipelago. India's Foreign Minister, S Jaishankar, responded to the ongoing dispute with restraint, stating that he couldn't guarantee support or agreement from every country every day.