The Maldives informed Sunday that it has officially communicated its request to the Indian government, urging the withdrawal of Indian military forces from the Maldives by March 15. President Mohamed Muizzu, who has been in office since November 2023, prominently featured the ‘“IndiaOut” slogan during his 2023 presidential election campaign, underscoring the call for the removal of Indian troops from the Maldives.

Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim, the Public Policy Secretary at the President’s Office, conveyed in a press briefing that Muizzu has officially requested the withdrawal of Indian military personnel by March 15. Subsequently, foreign affairs ministries from both nations released statements about the first bilateral meeting of a high-level core group. The Maldives statement said, 

The First meeting of the High-Level Core Group between the Maldives and India took place today, in Male. During the meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Maldives, both sides reviewed the existing bilateral cooperation. Discussions were held on a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including development cooperation. Both sides expressed willingness to intensify cooperation and agreed to fast-track the withdrawal of Indian military personnel. It was agreed that the second meeting of the High-Level Core Group will be held at a mutually convenient time.

However, the Indian statement stopped short of mentioning the withdrawal. It said,

… During the meeting, both sides held discussions on wide ranging issues related to bilateral cooperation towards identifying steps to enhance the partnership, including expediting the implementation of ongoing development cooperation projects. Both sides also held discussions on finding mutually workable solution to enable continued operation of Indian aviation platforms that provide humanitarian and medvac services to the people of Maldives …

Tensions escalated in early January due to an exchange on X (formerly Twitter) between Maldivian and Indian X users. This was triggered by an Indian user’s comparison between the Maldives and the Indian islands of Lakshadweep. Subsequently, the Maldivian government released a statement acknowledging the existence of derogatory comments on social media directed towards foreign leaders and prominent individuals who reportedly were Indian. It clarified that these expressions were personal opinions and did not reflect the official stance of the Maldivian Government. Furthermore, the statement announced that relevant authorities were prepared to act against individuals who made derogatory remarks. Afterward, reports surfaced indicating that three ministers, allegedly engaged in making derogatory remarks about India and its leaders, were also suspended.

However, following the incident, a Maldivian delegation undertook a diplomatic visit to China, including Muizzu. This visit is suggested to be the cause for the shift in the Maldives’ position.