New Delhi: Indian personnel deployed in the Maldives serve humanitarian purposes, said former Maldives Defence Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi as she defended the presence of Indian troops in her country amid strained bilateral ties.
Her remark comes as Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu pushes for Indian troops' withdrawal from their islands, and particularly amid a controversy over their ministers using derogatory remarks against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"Muizzu and his people presume that thousands of (Indian) troops are present in the Maldives that the sovereignty of this country is at stake...We've maintained we have 89 (Indian troops) people here for humanitarian roles. They have been helping our people for medical evacuations and search and rescue operations. They have always come here to help us," she told an NDTV panel on Monday.
Maldives should make their own decisions and not based on what is best for anybody else except Maldivians, she asserted, but at the same time called for better defence ties with India.
"Time immemorial, Maldives has had a very close relationship with India...Maldives and India has always had defence cooperation. We are also geographically the closest to India. We share the same border. So security concern is mutual for both the countries. So it's easier to have a partnership," she said.
Asked if China intends to step up its military presence on the Maldives, she hoped her country stays neutral on this front while improving the defence ties with India.
Ties between India and the Maldives have been strained ever since Mohamed Muizzu, seen largely as a pro-China leader, was elected President. Following his election to the top post, Muizzu pushed for the withdrawal of Indian troops from the Maldives on grounds of national security.
Maldives, known for its picturesque beaches that host lakhs of tourists every year, is now facing a fresh controversy after their ministers used derogatory remarks against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The recent diplomatic row prompted the #BoycottMaldives trend globally with several celebrities urging Indians to explore Lakshadweep as an alternative tourist destination instead of Maldives. Many Indian even cancelled their Maldives trips.
The row began after some Maldivian ministers posted insulting remarks targeting India and PM Modi for posting photos and videos from his visit to Lakshadweep where he was seen snorkelling and relaxing on the pristine beach.