Dornier aircraft, helicopter saved many lives, says India

The Indian external affairs ministry has said that the Dornier aircraft and helicopter flown in the Maldives in joint cooperation between the two countries’ military has saved many lives.

President-elect Dr Mohamed Muizzu had promised to evict the Indian troops active in the Maldives.

Muizzu also mentioned this during his meeting with the Indian ambassador after his election victory. The Indian ambassador said he would respect the decision of the people, the president-elect's office said.

The Indian external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, in one of his weekly press conferences, was questioned by the Indian journalists in attendance regarding the comments Muizzu had made in an interview with a Chinese newspaper, about China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

On the relationship between Maldives and India, the spokesperson said that India will strengthen relations with Maldives in the areas of:

On the Thursday press conference, the spokesperson noted the assistance India has provided to Maldives over the past five years, especially during the pandemic.

In addition, the Dornier and helicopter provided by India have carried patients in Maldives and saved many lives, he said.

He said more than 500 medical evacuations have been conducted with Indian assistance in the past five years. These include:

In addition, India provides assistance to Maldives's maritime security by preventing maritime crimes.

The spokesperson said India is the first to provide assistance to Maldives in any major situation. He said India was the first to provide assistance to Maldives during the pandemic.

He said the two countries are already discussing areas of cooperation with the new government.

India opposes China's BRI project, but Muizzu claims the BRI will prove crucial to the progress of the country.

The External Affairs Ministry said it was in talks with the new government to continue work with the new government when he was questioned whether they would disrupt projects in Maldives. Arindam did not give any indication that any projects might have to be stopped.

“We hope to continue to strengthen our relationship with Maldives and work together in the future,” he said.

“India is providing assistance to Maldives in various fields in the best interest of Maldives. Especially human resources, welfare or disaster recovery. I hope that relationship will continue to grow in the future.”