Pres denies rival claims of Indian troops in Maldives islands

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Thursday denied the claims made by rivals that Indian troops are stationed in the inhabited islands of the Maldives.

Speaking to supporters in R. Inguradhoo as part of his re-election campaign tour for the September 9 presidential election, the president said his rivals have claimed that they cannot walk in inhabited island because of foreign troops. 

The president said the Maldives is a free country and no other country can dictate the country's affairs. He said that the claims of the rivals were "false".

"Can we see anyone? They're saying that they can't even walk. It is not appropriate to say such things to mislead the people. In particular, it would not be good for people who are ready to come to power in the country to lie like this," he said.

In November 2021, the defence ministry told the parliamentary committee on security services that 75 Indian air force personnel were stationed in Maldives to operate the Indian donated helicopter and Dornier aircraft. According to the government, this is not a threat to locals.

Opposition PPM-PNC and rival candidates have been claiming that Indian troops are stationed in the Maldives. The PPM-PNC is also running a massive campaign called 'India Out' against the presence of Indian soldiers in the Maldives.

The president also criticised former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom's administration for trying to distance itself from the world. In this context, he said:

"With our neighbours and countries around the world, we need to engage with international organisations," he said, noting that the Maldives has established foreign relations with 185 countries.

President Solih said his foreign policy was based on three principles:

Noting that relations with the world are also important to raise funds for the country's development, the president said the policies of the Maldives have been recognised by the world. He said: