India and Maldives have agreed to form a core group to deliberate on the continued usage of Indian military platforms in the island nation. This initiative follows a key meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu in Dubai, where the leaders discussed various aspects of bilateral cooperation, including development cooperation, economic relations, and climate change.
Regarding the utilisation of Indian platforms, such as helicopters and Dornier aircraft, gifted to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), sources stated that during the Dubai meeting on December 1, the leaders briefly discussed the issue of Indian platforms in the Maldives, emphasising that the "continued usefulness of the Indian platforms....needs to be looked at in a proper perspective."
According to sources, the "Maldivian side has acknowledged the utility of these platforms. The fact that it is an important segment of bilateral development partnership is recognised by both sides."
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Both sides will be discussing how to keep the platforms operationally going, which are run by Indian military personnel, and the core group's role will be to look into the "details of how to take this forward".
President Muizzu, who had made the removal of Indian military personnel from the Maldives an election issue, raised the matter with Indian Minister Kiren Rijiju during his recent visit to the country.
He was in the country in November to take part in the oath-taking ceremony of the new President.
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According to Maldives media reports, Muizzu after returning from his foreign visits, in a presser with the local media, stated that the "Indian government has agreed to remove the Indian soldiers and a high-level committee to solve the issues related to the development."
India's gifted platforms have not only contributed significantly to areas like humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and combating illegal maritime activities but have also played a crucial role in executing over 500 medical evacuations in the past five years, saving numerous Maldivian lives.
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Friday's meeting in Dubai on the sidelines of the Climate Summit was the first in-person meeting between Indian and Maldivian leaders since President Muizzu assumed office.
Breaking from tradition, the newly elected President embarked on his inaugural foreign visit to Turkey and the UAE instead of the customary first visit to India, signalling a departure from the longstanding practice where new Maldivian presidents traditionally travel to India to underscore the close ties between the two nations.