Don't want to provoke India; troop removal peaceful, says Yameen

The withdrawal of Indian troops from Maldives be done peacefully without provoking the country's closest neighbour, former President Abdulla Yameen said Monday.

Yameen, who is serving an 11-year prison sentence in the MMPRC corruption scandal, is currently under house arrest. Yameen’s house arrest was relaxed last Saturday, and he is visiting the PPM office to meet with supporters.

He also spoke at a rally held at the PPM office Monday evening.

Yameen said all Indian troops should be withdrawn before the end of the first half of Muizzu's five-year term. However, he said he did not want to provoke India in the process.

"We have no compromise on [withdrawal of Indian troops]," he said.

Yameen said:

"It is very difficult to do that. [India] is so close to us, a close neighbour. We don't want to provoke them [India] either, but it is not a licence for them to stay in this country. Indian troops should withdraw," he said.

 Maldives has started negotiations with India to remove its military presence, President-elect Dr Mohamed Muizzu said in an interview published by Bloomberg News on Friday, as New Delhi and Beijing both vie for influence in the region.

Removing Indian troops was a key campaign pledge by Muizzu, who ousted President Ibrahim Solih last month.

Around 70 Indian military personnel maintain New Delhi-sponsored radar stations and surveillance aircraft. Indian warships help patrol Maldives’ exclusive economic zone.

Asking India to remove military personnel in no way indicated “that I’m going to allow China or any other country to bring their military troops here,” he said.

Muizzu’s win extends the tug-of-war between China and India for influence over the Indian Ocean.