Yameen described the statements made by the Maldivian minister, in which he said that withdrawing Indian forces would not be easy, as disappointing. The former president noted that the removal Indian soldiers It was among the most important “presidential eras.” Moiso. His statements came amid the controversy surrounding the death of a 13-year-old boy, due to a delay in medical evacuation.
Diplomatic tensions between India and Maldives: President Moizo sets March 15 as deadline for Indian Army withdrawal
A parliamentary committee launched an investigation into the case, and Moizo himself was criticized by the opposition for the failure of local authorities to use Indian helicopters for this purpose.
Yameen is considered China's most trusted ally in the country, and was a mentor to Moiso but recently fell out with him and helped launch a new political group. Both are pro-China leaders, but it is Yameen who is believed to be the architect of the “India Out” campaign that tipped the balance in Moiso's favor in last year's presidential election.
It was also Yameen's idea in 2018 as president to expel Indian soldiers, along with Indian helicopters and the aircraft they help operate and maintain, which Moiso wants to implement. Yameen was in prison, but Mwizo confirmed the former president had been transferred to house arrest a day after he won a presidential runoff against his predecessor Ibrahim Solih in September 2023.
“It is very disappointing to hear these words from a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office who has come with tremendous courage and determination to withdraw Indian troops from the Maldives. Nothing will be easy.” said Yameen, who was allowed to participate in a meeting of the party he recently launched.
After his return from China, Moizu asked India to withdraw its forces by March 15. The president wants to replace Indian helicopters and planes, which carried out 500 medical evacuations in the country and saved the lives of 523 people, with the air ambulance service he plans. Moizo is unlikely to rethink his decision, which he says is backed by the democratic will of the Maldivian people, given Yameen's severe distress.
Moiso linked the issue to the sovereignty of the Maldives, saying that India's failure to withdraw its forces would jeopardize democracy in the Maldives. After he met with the commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command on Sunday, Moiso's office said the commander affirmed US support in maintaining peace while “preserving its sovereignty.”
However, Moiso wants to see the return of Indian military personnel, he told TOI in an interview, through diplomatic means.
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