"They Help Our People": Maldives Ex-Minister On Presence Of Indian Troops
NDTV
Former Maldives Defence Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi's remark comes as President Mohamed Muizzu pushes for Indian troops' withdrawal from their islands
Indian personnel deployed in the Maldives serve humanitarian purposes, said former Maldives Defence Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi as she defended the presence of Indian troops in her country amid strained bilateral ties.
Her remark comes as Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu pushes for Indian troops' withdrawal from their islands, and particularly amid a controversy over their ministers using derogatory remarks against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"Muizzu and his people presume that thousands of (Indian) troops are present in the Maldives that the sovereignty of this country is at stake...We've maintained we have 89 (Indian troops) people here for humanitarian roles. They have been helping our people for medical evacuations and search and rescue operations. They have always come here to help us," she told an NDTV panel on Monday.
