The first team of Indian technical personnel who will operate Maldives’ aviation platforms have reached the island-nation. The team reaches Male less than two weeks before the first batch of military personnel are expected to leave Maldives. The Indian military personnel are due to leave Maldives by March 10.
The Maldives government, according to the Indian Express, on Monday said the first team of Indian civilians had arrived. They will operate the helicopter in Addu, which is the southernmost atoll of the country.
The statement said the Indian military personnel stationed in Addu will leave by March 10 as per the agreement between the two governments. It further added that a replacement helicopter will also arrive from India by Wednesday. The civilian team will begin training exercises to take over its operations.
The decision to withdraw Indian military personnel from Maldives between March and May was taken earlier this month. Earlier this month, the spokesperson of the external affairs ministry said that the “present personnel would be replaced by competent Indian technical personnel”.
The technical personnel will continue to operate the two helicopters and a Dornier aircraft in the island nation. This decision was taken during the second meeting of the high-level core group between Indian and Maldivian officials in New Delhi earlier this month.
Following the meeting, the Maldivian foreign ministry issued a statement saying that “both sides agreed that the Government of India will replace the military personnel in one of the three aviation platforms by 10 March 2024, and will complete replacing military personnel in the other two platforms by 10 May 2024”.
The Union ministry of external affairs did not share any timeline in its statement but pointed out that Indian and Maldivian officials “agreed on a set of mutually workable solutions to enable continued operation of Indian aviation platforms”. These platforms provide humanitarian and medical evacuation services to the people of Maldives. Around 80 Indian military personnel are stationed in Maldives who help operate these platforms.
Maldivian authorities in January set a March 15 deadline for India to withdraw its military personnel from the country.
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