Defence agreements with India being amended, says Maldives
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu
The Maldives on Tuesday said existing defence agreements with India are being amended to ensure they do not compromise the Maldives' sovereignty and independence, media reports said here.Defence Minister Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon also told Parliament members that 74 Indian soldiers stationed in the Maldives, who were repatriated under an agreement reached with India last year, were unarmed while in the Maldives. Maumoon's statements come days after Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, during a marathon 15 hour press conference, said that there is nothing to worry about the agreements signed by the previous government with other countries, including with India.Muizzu's comments had drawn criticism from the opposition leader who demanded his apology for making "false claims" during the 2023 election campaign regarding the pacts with nations such as India.On Tuesday, while answering questions raised by Parliament members, Maumoon said, the agreements formed with India as part of long-standing close ties between the two countries had been amended or is being amended "to ensure that they protect the sovereignty and independence of Maldives," according to a report in newsportal edition.mv.The Public Service Media (PSM News), the state-run news agency, quoted the minister as saying that since the Maldives gained independence in 1965, more than 100 agreements were signed with India and of those, the defence ministry oversees four.One of the key agreements under review pertained to the development of a naval dockyard at Uthuru Thilafalhu with Indian assistance, the PSM News said.Ahead of the 2023 election and when it was in opposition, the People's National Congress (PNC) led by Muizzu, had criticised aspects of the Uthuru Thila Falhu agreement, claiming that certain provisions conflicted with national policy.The minister said such clauses are now being amended, but did not share further details, edition.mv said.Citing confidentiality clauses, the minister said the agreements and their amendments could not be made public but said he would disclose them if formally the parliament's Committee on National Security Services requested it.The Maldives and India witnessed a downturn in bilateral ties since pro-China president Muizzu assumed office in November 2023. Within hours of his oath, he had demanded the withdrawal of Indian military personnel from his country.Subsequently, the Indian military personnel were replaced by civilians in a mutually agreed manner between March and May 10.On Tuesday, while addressing questions regarding Indian military personnel in the Maldives, Defence Minister Maumoon confirmed that no Indian forces were currently stationed in the country."Of the 71 Indian personnel previously deployed, all have been repatriated following bilateral discussions, with the final contingent departing on 9 May 2024. Indian soldiers had not carried weapons while stationed in the Maldives," the PSM News quoted the minister as saying.The minister also clarified that the Indian military presence had been limited to providing operational support for Dornier aircraft and helicopters operating under India's assistance programme, he said, adding, "The withdrawal was a necessary step to ensure national sovereignty remains uncompromised."Earlier on Saturday, Muizzu, during his marathon press conference, said he was working in line with his pledge to disclose the military agreements and blamed delays on confidentiality issues.
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