Known to be close to China, Muizzu came to power in November last year with a distinctly anti-India position. One of the first foreign policy decisions taken by him after assuming office was to officially request the Indian government withdraw its military personnel from the Maldives. At present, around 70 Indian troops, along with Dornier 228 maritime patrol aircraft and two HAL Dhruv helicopters, are stationed in the Maldives.
Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu claims about “thousands of Indian military personnel” in the country were debunked by a key opposition leader in the country, who said it was just another lie in a string of misinformation by the former. Abdulla Shahid, a former Maldivian minister of foreign affairs, also added that there are no armed foreign soldiers stationed in their country.
Posting on his social media account X, Abdulla Shahid said, “100 days in, it’s clear: President Muizzu’s claims of ‘thousands of Indian military personnel’ were just another in a string of lies. The current administration’s inability to provide specific numbers speaks volumes. There are no armed foreign soldiers stationed in the country.”
Abdulla Shahid, who is the newly elected president of the Maldivian Democratic Party, further stressed that transparency matters and that the truth must prevail.
