聽Mohamed Muizzu, Maldives presidential candidate of the opposition party, People鈥檚 National Congress speaks with the media personnel during the second round of a presidential election in Male, Maldives September 30, 2023. REUTERS FILE PHOTO
MALE 鈥� Maldives new President Mohamed Muizzu, who campaigned on altering the tiny Indian Ocean archipelago鈥檚 鈥淚ndia first鈥� policy, has requested India withdraw its military from the country.
Muizzu won the presidential election in September, ousting Ibrahim Solih in a runoff after promising to remove a small Indian military presence of some 75 personnel.
India and China have been vying for influence in the region, with the coalition backing Muizzu considered to be leaning more towards China.
鈥淭he Maldivian people had given him (Muizzu) a strong mandate to make the request to India and expressed the hope that India will honor the democratic will of the people of the Maldives,鈥� the president鈥檚 office said in a statement on Saturday.
India鈥檚 defense ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
At his inauguration on Friday, Muizzu said, 鈥淚 will ensure that this country has no foreign military presence on its soil.鈥�
Muizzu made the request to Kiren Rijiju, India鈥檚 minister for earth sciences, who was representing India at the president鈥檚 inauguration, it said.
鈥淚t was agreed that the two governments would discuss workable solutions for continued cooperation,鈥� a senior Indian government official said on condition of anonymity, without clarifying whether India would return its military.