Maldives to Receive Military Support from China Amid Diplomatic Tensions with India
“Amid Rising Strains with India, Maldives Set to Receive Complimentary Military Aid from Neighboring China”
“Amid Diplomatic Tensions with India, Maldives to Receive Complimentary Military Assistance from China. Beijing Inks Defence Cooperation Agreement on Monday to Strengthen Bilateral Relations.”
Following Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu’s ultimatum for the departure of the initial contingent of Indian military personnel from the nation, tensions between the two countries have escalated, prompting this development.
The Maldives’ Defence Minister, Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon, held discussions with Major General Zhang Baoqun, Deputy Director of China’s Office for International Military Cooperation, aiming to bolster defense collaboration between the two nations.
Maumoon and Major General Baoqun have “formalized an agreement for China’s provision of complimentary military assistance to the Republic of Maldives, aimed at bolstering bilateral relations,” as stated by the Maldivian defense ministry on its X platform.
In addition to the complimentary military aid, China has generously donated 12 eco-friendly ambulances to the Maldives, as reported by Edition.mv news portal on Monday. This announcement was made during a ceremony hosted at the Ministry of Health on Sunday, which was graced by the presence of Chinese Ambassador to Maldives, Wang Lixin.
The arrival of the Chinese military delegation in the Maldives coincides with India’s confirmation of dispatching its initial civilian team of technical experts to replace military personnel overseeing an advanced light helicopter in the island nation.
Previously, President Muizzu set a deadline of March 10 for the initial withdrawal of Indian troops from his country.
During his weekly media briefing on February 29 in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal announced that the initial team of technical personnel, tasked with operating the advanced light helicopter, has arrived in the Maldives. Their deployment aims to replace the current personnel managing this platform.
India-Maldives diplomatic ties shaken
The ties between India and Maldives have remained strained ever since Muizzu came into power in November 2023. Seen as a pro-China leader, the Maldivian president asserted after coming into power that he would maintain his promise of evicting Indian military personnel from his country.
The tensions between the two countries further heightened in January 2024, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his visit to the Lakshadweep islands. Three ministers from Maldives’ cabinet made derogatory comments on social media when PM Modi posted the photos from his trip.
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