MALE: Maldives President-elect Mohamed Muizzu has said that his country will work to return Indian military personnel from its shores as early as possible, Western media reported on Sunday.
Muizzu clinched victory in the Maldives’ presidential election last month, beating incumbent President Ibrahim Solih in a second-round runoff.
During his election campaign Muizzu vowed to remove a small Indian military presence of some 75 personnel in Maldives.
During an interview with Reuters the president-elect said he will be holding frank and detailed diplomatic discussion with India to work out details of sending back military personnel from the Maldives as early as possible.
Muizzu will assume office on November 17.
He said number of military personnel is not important but Maldives doesn’t want to have any at all.
Maldives a home to about 521,000 people, is a famous tourist destination known for its beaches and luxury tourist resorts.
Muizzu said Maldives to develop a naval base and other military training grounds with assistance from different states but it doesn’t mean that a foreign military presence is required for its operations.
Maldives will not be anti or pro any country
He added that he is not pro-China or any country adding that the Maldives will not be anti or pro any country.
The president-elect said his government will always be for Maldives. Muizzu added Maldives will benefit from strong and vibrant relationships with the advanced economies as well as with emerging economic powers.
Maldives, consisting of atolls spread across 800 kilometers, holds strategic importance as it lies along one of the world’s busiest east-west shipping routes, making any political shifts in the region a matter of regional and global concern.
