The Maldives on Monday inked a deal to secure military support from China. This development coincides with Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu's assurance that no Indian troops, even in civilian attire, will be permitted to stay within the country.
Maldives-China Agreement
Maldivian Defence Minister Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon and Major General Zhang Baoqun, Deputy Director of the Chinese Office for International Military Cooperation, signed the agreement. The Maldivian Defence Ministry said that the agreement was signed on “China’s provision of military assistance gratis to the Republic of Maldives, fostering stronger bilateral ties.”
Minister of Defence @mgmaumoon and Major General Zhang Baoqun, Deputy Director of the Office for International Military Cooperation of the People's Republic of China, signed an agreement on China's provision of military assistance gratis to the Republic of Maldives, fostering… pic.twitter.com/OeaAe2QZr9
— Ministry of Defence (@MoDmv) March 4, 2024
After the signing, Zhang also visited Muizzu at the President’s office as a courtesy call. Muizzu expressed his gratitude to the Chinese government for its continued assistance and support to his country. The two sides also held discussions on strategic partnerships and enhancing defence cooperation.
Muizzu revealed that the agreement includes the provision of non-lethal military equipment to the Maldives. China will also provide different forms of military training to the Maldivian military. The President said that the pact would allow the strengthening of the country’s “independence and autonomy” and increase the technical capacity of the defence forces.
Ambulance Services
Meanwhile, on Sunday, China donated 12 green ambulances to the Maldives. These ambulances will exclusively serve patients requiring emergency medical transportation on remote islands. The handover ceremony was conducted by China’s Ambassador to the Maldives, Wang Lixin, who presented the ambulances to the Ministry of Health.
Earlier this month, the Maldives launched an air ambulance service to Sri Lanka. Previously, Indian aircraft were utilised for emergency patient transportation from various Maldivian islands. With the introduction of this service, the government aims to direct patients to Sri Lanka instead of India, citing recent improvements in healthcare quality in Sri Lanka.
Deputy Director of the Office for International Military Cooperation of the People's Republic of China pays a courtesy call on President Dr Muizzu https://t.co/O0SPgCOASu pic.twitter.com/IpdUuAAkp1
— The President's Office (@presidencymv) March 5, 2024
Indian Troop Withdrawal
Moreover, Muizzu doubled down on his stance to remove Indian troops stationed in the Maldives. "There will be no Indian troops in the country come May 10. Not in uniform and not in civilian clothing. The Indian military will not be residing in this country in any form of clothing. I state this with confidence," local media quoted Muizzu. "That these people [Indian military] are not departing, that they are returning after changing their uniforms into civilian clothing. We must not indulge such thoughts that instil doubts in our hearts and spread lies," he asserted.
Ever since becoming President, Muizzu has asked India to expedite troop removal from the country. During a high-level meeting last month, the two countries concluded the troop withdrawal agreement, which will be implemented in two phases: the first on 10 March and the second on 10 May.
In light of this decision, the first group of Indian civilians arrived in the Maldives on 26 February to replace the Indian troops stationed in Addu City. The civilians would, reportedly, take over the operation of two Dhruv helicopters and one Dornier aircraft currently provided by India to the Maldives.
While the two countries were earlier reported to have agreed that Indian civilians would be allowed to replace the military personnel, Muizzu recently commented that no Indian military troops, not even in civilian clothing, will be allowed to stay in the country. With these comments, the latest military agreement with China, and attempts to reduce dependence on Indian medical services, Muizzu’s pro-China tilt is no longer veiled.