Umar vows to deport Indian solders; return helicopters 'in a box'

On Wednesday, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said that the strongest force in protecting the country's independence is the "friendly relations between the Maldives and the international community".

“That relationship has given life to Maldives's economic development,” he said in his official address on Independence Day this Wednesday.

Two days ago, I was with one of the candidates who is expected to run against President Solih in the upcoming presidential election. He is one of the leaders who talks about India's influence in the Maldives. Withdrawal of Indian troops from Maldives is likely to become one of Umar's most important policies.

The government borrows from India for its development projects. More than a billion dollars in loans have been taken out from various Indian financial institutions.

Umar believes that with the presence of Indian troops and the current level of Indian influence, the debt will end up as a 'tool' to pressure Maldives.

Maldives's debt is more than MVR 100 billion. The external debt is also that high. Maldives will have to pay the highest amount of debt in a year in 2026. The debt will be one of the biggest headaches for the person who wins the presidential election.

"If I am elected president this time, I am not worried about how to control gangs, I am not worried about how to solve the drug problem. I am most worried about debt," Umar said.

"That's about USD 1 billion worth of debt the country will have to manage in 2026. We need to pay USD 900 million."

The information that was discussed then was not accurate. That's when he said that the Maldives had to pay the most in debts was to India that year. However, in 2026, the government will have to pay USD 100 million raised through the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development under former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and USD 500 million raised in 2021 through the sale of sukuk to meet the state's finances due to the Covid pandemic. The bonds were not sold to Indian financial institutions.

One of the points he made when linking Maldives's 2026 debt payment to India's influence was the Indian army.

"Indian troops are in Maldives. India has a lot of influence now. So when we try to get rid of those influences, they will use debt as a tool," he said.

"That's [one of] the things I'm most concerned about."

When it came to the topic of the Indian army, I questioned Umar whether diplomacy could be used to get India to withdraw their soldiers from Maldives under Umar's rule.

"I very much think it can be done. I will not raise my baton when it can be negotiated," he said.

"So I will also maintain very close contact with the Indian government. I will negotiate with them to end it [the presence of Indian troops in Maldives]. If it cannot be ended by negotiation, I will use force”.

The comment raises a bigger question. How can a small country like Maldives use force against a global power like India? When I asked Umar that question, his answer was very simple. 

“Putting them on a plane and deporting them, that's the solution,” he said.

"[India's] helicopter can be dismantled, boxed and shipped”.

The government has not disclosed the number of Indian troops in Maldives. However, Indian troops operate Indian helicopters and a Dornier aircraft in Maldives.

The government says close relations with India are also important for Maldives's security, especially in ensuring the security of the Indian Ocean and prevention of terrorism threats.

Still, political leaders like Umar believe that Indian troops should not be in Maldives to maintain close relations with India.