Amid diplomatic tensions with the Maldives, India has secured a significant diplomatic victory. The Maldives has granted permission for Indian pilots to operate helicopters within the island nation. The Indian pilots are referred to as Indian citizens by the Maldives.
The Maldivian Ministry of Defence announced that a group of Indian nationals will be arriving to operate a helicopter given by India for health purposes.
The significance of Indian citizens in the Maldives is emphasized as the nation holds great strategic importance for India in the Indian Ocean. Diplomatically and politically, this area is often seen as India's backyard. Moreover, since the establishment of Mohamed Muizzu's government, diplomatic tensions between the two countries have peaked. President Muizzu and his party are considered to be pro-China, leading to a strained relationship with India following his demand for the departure of Indian soldiers.
Handover process to commence tonight
The Maldivian Ministry of Defence also states that Indian citizens will be heading to the city of Addu to operate the helicopter. A helicopter is currently stationed at GAN Airport. According to reports, Indian pilots will reach GAN Airport tonight, initiating the handover process for helicopter operations to Indian citizens. These citizens will take over responsibilities from the current military personnel stationed in the Maldives and operate a helicopter provided by the Indian government.
The Ministry of Defence of Maldives has also announced that the helicopter currently deployed at the Laamu Gan Kadhdhoo Airport would be sent back to India for maintenance. A replacement helicopter will arrive in Maldives tomorrow, i.e., Wednesday.
Increased budgetary support for the Maldives
According to government data, during the financial year 2023-24, which ends in March, India has spent approximately 7.71 billion rupees on developmental projects in the Maldives. This expenditure is nearly double the allocated budget.
Furthermore, the budget for the financial year 2024-25 has also been increased. The budget presented in Parliament on February 1st allocated six billion rupees for the Maldives. However, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, later announced in a press conference that the budget for the Maldives had been revised upwards. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the current financial budget allocates approximately 7.8 billion rupees for the Maldives.
