Sending out an olive branch, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu claimed that he had not followed an ‘India Out’ policy, while asserting that the country had a “serious problem” with the presence of foreign military on its soil.
Male is in talks with New Delhi for a proposed state visit by Muizzu in October. Maldives is seeking support from India to tackle a simmering financial crisis.
“We have never been against any one country at any point. It’s not India Out. Maldives faced a serious problem with foreign military presence on this soil,” said Muizzu. The Maldives President was responding to a query at Princeton University’s “Dean’s Leadership Series” on Thursday.
Muizzu is in the US to attend the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Muizzu further stressed that he had acted against his deputy ministers for insulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media. “No one should say such a thing. I took action against it. I will not accept insulting anyone like that, whether he is a leader or an ordinary person. Every human being has a reputation,” he said.
Ties between India and the Maldives came under strain since last November when Muizzu, known for his pro-China leanings, took charge as the President riding on an ‘India Out’ plank.
A day after he was sworn in, Muizzu “formally requested” the Indian government to “withdraw its military personnel” from the island nation.
India withdrew its military personnel by May 10 and replaced them with civilians to operate a Dornier aircraft and two helicopters stationed in the Maldives.
The ‘India Out’ campaign began in 2020 as a protest by the Maldives opposition against the then President Ibrahim Solih’s policies that were perceived to be friendly towards New Delhi, but soon turned into a movement against India’s alleged military presence in the southern Indian Ocean country.
Male is in talks with New Delhi for a proposed state visit by Muizzu in October. Maldives is seeking support from India to tackle a simmering financial crisis.
“We have never been against any one country at any point. It’s not India Out. Maldives faced a serious problem with foreign military presence on this soil,” said Muizzu. The Maldives President was responding to a query at Princeton University’s “Dean’s Leadership Series” on Thursday.
Muizzu is in the US to attend the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Muizzu further stressed that he had acted against his deputy ministers for insulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media. “No one should say such a thing. I took action against it. I will not accept insulting anyone like that, whether he is a leader or an ordinary person. Every human being has a reputation,” he said.
Ties between India and the Maldives came under strain since last November when Muizzu, known for his pro-China leanings, took charge as the President riding on an ‘India Out’ plank.
A day after he was sworn in, Muizzu “formally requested” the Indian government to “withdraw its military personnel” from the island nation.
India withdrew its military personnel by May 10 and replaced them with civilians to operate a Dornier aircraft and two helicopters stationed in the Maldives.
The ‘India Out’ campaign began in 2020 as a protest by the Maldives opposition against the then President Ibrahim Solih’s policies that were perceived to be friendly towards New Delhi, but soon turned into a movement against India’s alleged military presence in the southern Indian Ocean country.
