The second group of Indian military personnel operating a helicopter under a bilateral agreement with India departed from the Maldives on April 9th. According to a news agency, China-backed leader President Muhammad Muizzu confirmed that foreign ambassadors in Male will not exert authority over him and emphasized that ultimate power rests with the citizens.
Last month, without naming any country, Muizzu accused his predecessor, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, of acting upon the orders of a 'foreign ambassador'. During his election campaign last year, Muizzu who advocated for the withdrawal of foreign troops from the Maldives, said the first team has gone and the present troops left on April 9.
Muizzu set a deadline of March 10th for the departure of the first group of Indian military personnel from his country. According to the Maldives government, 88 Indian soldiers were deployed in the Maldives to operate a helicopter and a Dornier aircraft. The first group of Indian soldiers departed from the Maldives on March 11th.
The Maldives struggles to recover from the setback of Indian tourists
It is important to note that the Maldives' strained relations with India have resulted in a surprisingly sharp decline in the number of Indian tourists visiting the country. This has had an impact on the economy of the Maldives. Now, a major tourism organization in the Maldives has decided to hold roadshows in major Indian cities to woo Indian tourists, with the aim of changing their perception of the Maldives and encouraging them to visit again.
Drop in Indian tourists visiting the Maldives
Official statistics released by the Maldives Ministry of Tourism indicate a significant decrease in the number of Indian travelers visiting the country after the diplomatic spat. Out of more than 1.7 million tourists who visited the Maldives in 2023, a majority were Indian (209,198), followed by Russia and China. However, in the weeks following the diplomatic tensions, the number of Indian tourists dropped to the fifth position.
