MALE: President of Maldives has said that Indian government has agreed to withdraw its security personnel from the island country in the Indian Ocean, Western media reported on Sunday.
Muizzu who won the presidential election in September, had campaigned to change country’s foreign policy and promised to remove the small Indian military presence from the country.
He told media that during the discussions with Indian authorities it was agreed that India will withdraw its soldiers from Maldives.
He said that both sides also agreed to set up a high-level committee to solve issues pertaining to the development projects.
Maldives a home to about 521,000 people, is a famous tourist destination known for its beaches and luxury tourist resorts.
Earlier Muizzu said Maldives will 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.
He added Maldives will benefit from strong and vibrant relationships with the advanced economies as well as with emerging economic powers.
Maldives, consisting of islands 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.
