Government Confirms No Indian Troops in Addu

The Maldives government has confirmed that there are no Indian troops stationed in Addu. This announcement follows opposition claims on social media suggesting the presence of Indian soldiers in the region.

The circulated video, which was purported to show Indian soldiers, actually depicts Sri Lankan army training instructors arriving in the Maldives for Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) training.

In an agreement between Maldives and India, military personnel were to be withdrawn from one of the three aviation platforms in the Maldives by March 10, with the remaining two platforms to be vacated by May 10. On March 10, 26 Indian soldiers were evacuated from the Maldives with an Indian helicopter. These soldiers were responsible for flying the helicopter donated by India.

Subsequently, the second batch of Indian troops in the Maldives was sent back to India in April. President Dr. Muizzu has successfully fulfilled his promise to withdraw the last batch of Indian troops from the Maldives before May.

This series of actions underscores the Maldives' commitment to ensuring that there are no foreign military personnel stationed within its borders.