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New Delhi has so far not responded to the allegations.
According to a statement released by the Maldivian Defense Ministry, the foreign troops who boarded the local vessels were “members of the boarding teams of Indian Coast Guard Vessel 246 and Indian Coast Guard Vessel 253.” .
Several videos published by a Maldivian fishing union show soldiers in black uniforms boarding a vessel. In one of the videos, Indian Coast Guard vessels can also be seen. However, the authenticity of the videos has not been verified by any independent agency.
“The Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) immediately diverted its coast guard vessel “Shaheed Ali” after receiving reports of a foreign serviceman boarding a local fishing boat, the Asuruma 3… Upon arriving at the scene, the MNDF learned that the Indian Coast Guards boarded two other local fishing boats, the Niru 7 and the Maahoara 3,” the ministry said in its statement.
The Maldivian Defense Ministry added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had formally requested New Delhi on February 1 to provide details of its “justification for Indian military personnel to board and carry out an operation, without any coordination with the Maldivian authorities and against the law of the Maritime Convention, a number of Maldivian vessels are engaged in fishing in the country’s EEZ.
Bilateral relations at rock bottom
It is the latest in a series of conflicts that have led to a setback in relations between the two nations since the election of pro-Chinese leader Mohamed Muizzu in the Maldives last November.
India and China are vying for influence in the Maldives, strategically located along a key maritime route, in their competition for control of the Indian Ocean.
Muizzu was part of an “India Out” campaign as an opposition politician, demanding the withdrawal of Indian military personnel stationed in certain islands. Muizzu campaigned for the presidency on the same promise and made a formal request to India soon after his election.
The dispute escalated when Prime Minister Modi posted photos of himself on social media at the beaches of Lakshadweep.
Three Maldivian deputy ministers posted derogatory messages against Prime Minister Modi, which inflamed Indians, leading to a social media campaign to boycott the Maldives. The largest number of tourists visiting the Maldives come from India, accounting for 11% of the total last year.
Muizzu’s visit to China also coincided with the conflict, and he returned announcing his intention to rid his country of its dependence on India for health, education and imported goods basic. He also warned that the Maldives’ small size gave no country the right to intimidate them, an apparently indirect reference to India.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives said in a statement on Friday that officials from the two countries met in New Delhi and agreed that India would begin withdrawing its troops from the Maldives on March 10 and complete the process by withdrawing from the Maldives. three aerial platforms by May 10.
There are said to be at least 75 Indian military personnel in the Maldives and their known activities include transporting patients from remote islands and rescuing people at sea.
(With contribution from agencies)
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