Asking India’s withdrawal, a huge mistake by Muizzu of Maldives

Aerial photo taken on September 1, 2019 shows the panoramic view of Male, capital of Maldives. File Photo:

India completed the withdrawal of its military technical personnel from the Maldives on Thursday, a move that experts said is not in the interest of security of Maldives. These technical personnel were there to train the Maldivian Armed Forces personnel in use of various equipment and aircrafts and ships given by India. These Indians military men also helped in maintaining these equipment.

The call for India to withdraw its technical military personnel reflects the pro China tilt of the Maldivian President and his advisors. In long term it is going to jeopardize the country’s national security and even the economy, according to experts.

 The withdrawal is clearly related to the Maldivian President’s “pro-China” policy. India has always been the first responder in any crisis which people of Maldives have faced in the past and will always remain so in the future.

 Maldives is an independent sovereign nation, but due to geography will always be part of India’s national security concern and part of sphere of influence. No matter what India cannot permit any Forces in Maldives which are inimical to the Indian defence or economic interests. This should be clear to the rest of the World.

However agreeing to the Maldives request India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday confirmed the withdrawal of Indian technical military personnel from the Maldives and fresh deputation of competent civilian persons to the archipelago nation. It is obvious that in case of any “ emergency “, India has the capability and the Will to respond immediately, as demonstrated in the past.

The completion came after Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu’s request that all Indian military personnel in the country be withdrawn from the Maldives by May 10, honouring a promise he made in his presidential campaign.

“The Maldives is a sovereign nation, and in accordance with international law and established norms, India should withdraw its troops,” Long Xingchun, a professor at the School of International Relations at Sichuan International Studies University, stated on Friday. To this we Indians will say that please ask Xi to withdraw from Occupied Tibet and also vacate Indian territory in Ladhak and Shakshagam Valley forthwith, before they get thrown out in the foreseeable future.

The Maldives’ call for India to remove its technical military personnel is viewed as a crucial mistake in jeopardizing not only its national security but also its economy.

However, despite India’s withdrawal of troops from the Maldives being an act in compliance with President Muizzu’s request, many Western media outlets still associate it with Muizzu’s so-called pro-China policy. Such closeness with China will only land it in a debt trap, as realized by many Asian and African countries.

 the Maldives will always remain within India’s sphere of influence, which limits the country to only maintaining good relations and cooperating with other countries in fields of tourism,trade and commerce only. Maldives cannot establish military or other related strategic ties with any country be it China, Russia or USA.

According to AP, a day ahead of India’s withdrawal of military personnel, the foreign ministers of India and Maldives met in New Delhi, where Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar told his Maldives counterpart, Moosa Zameer, that India has been a key provider of development assistance, including infrastructure projects, medical care and health facilities.

Jaishankar also highlighted the close partnerships with neighbours as the world is today “passing through a volatile and uncertain period,” Nikkei Asia reported.

Analysts noted that India has been a source of assistance and support for the Maldives, strengthening the bond between the two nations and will always remain so.

However, to keep a close eye on this part of the Indian Ocean, now India too has started strengthening its military infrastructure in Lakshadweep & Minicoy group of islands. It has also started to focus on the tourism infrastructure. In next few years, Lakshadweep may start attracting more tourists than Maldives and Muizzu should know this.