As Indian troops pull out, Maldives signs defence pact with China

Despite a diplomatic disagreement with India, the Maldives is set to get free military aid from China.

On Monday, Beijing inked a defence cooperation deal with the Maldives, with the goal of providing free military support and strengthening bilateral relations.

This event followed a decision by Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu to set a deadline for the evacuation of the first batch of Indian military soldiers from his country amid rising tensions between the two nations.

Maldive’s defence minister meets Major General Zhang Baoqun

Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon, the Maldives’ defence minister, recently met with Major General Zhang Baoqun, Deputy Director of China’s Office for International Military Cooperation. The conversation concentrated on increasing Maldives-China defence cooperation.

South Block had previously assumed that the new Maldives government’s decision to rid the country of all foreign military personnel meant there would be no issue to replacing the 80-odd Indian army soldiers stationed there with civilians.

Muizzu’s statement for Indian troops

However, just as the first group of Indian citizens came to replace the military personnel, Muizzu threw a wrench in the works, stating that “these people (Indian military) are not departing, and they are returning after changing their uniforms into civilian clothing.” “We must not indulge in such thoughts that instill doubts in our hearts and spread lies,” Muizzu told Maldives media.

“There will be no Indian troops in the country on May 10. Not in uniform, not in everyday attire. The Indian soldiers will not be wearing any apparel while in this nation. “I say this with confidence,” he allegedly continued.

Maumoon and Major General Baoqun “signed a contract on China’s offering of military support free to the Republic of Maldives, strengthening deeper bilateral ties,” the Maldivian defence ministry announced on its X (previously Twitter).

In addition to the free military support, China has sent 12 environmentally efficient ambulances to the Maldives, according to Edition.mv. The announcement was made during a ceremony at the Ministry of Health on Sunday, which was attended by Chinese Ambassador to the Maldives Wang Lixin.

The Chinese military delegation’s visit to the Maldives comes just days after India declared that its first civilian team of technical specialists had arrived in the island nation to replace military troops operating a sophisticated light chopper.