External Affairs Minister S Jaisankar met Maldives foreign minister on Thursday in Uganda to discuss ties between the two countries.
“Met Maldives FM Moosa Zameer today in Kampala. A frank conversation on India-Maldives ties. Also discussed NAM related issues,”Jaishankar wrote in a post on X, sharing a picture of the ministers from the meeting.
His counterpart, Moosa Zameer, also wrote that it was a pleasure to meet with the External Affairs Minister of India saying: “We exchanged views on the ongoing high-level discussions on the withdrawal of Indian military personnel, as well as expediting the completion of ongoing development projects in the Maldives, and cooperation within SAARC and NAM. We are committed to further strengthening and expanding our cooperation.”
The two ministers met on the sidelines of the ongoing 19th NAM (Non-Aligned Movement) summit taking place in the Kampala city in Uganda.
The meeting comes amid escalating tensions between the two countries.
‘Military withdrawal from Maldives’
The two ministers discussed military withdrawal from the Maldives after the island’s President Mohamed Muizzu asked India to remove its troops by March 15.
The move came after Muizzu whose election promises included the withdrawal of Indian army from the island nation, gave a nod to it.
During a media brief, his principal secretary Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim said, “Indian military personnel cannot stay in the Maldives. This is the policy of President Mohamed Muizzu and that of this administration.”
Pertinently, there are 70 Indian personnel, a Dornier 228 maritime patrol aircraft and two HAL Dhruv helicopters, stationed in the Maldives at present.
Key Background
India-Maldives ties suffered a huge setback earlier this month when Indian PM Narendra Modi posted pictures of himself enjoying pristine beaches from his Lakshadweep trip. Three Maldivian ministers made derogatory, racist remarks against the PM calling him a “clown, puppet of Israel and a terrorist.”
Social media users joined in the bandwagon and accused India of competing with
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