In a first-ever exclusive interview with TOI, the President of the Maldives, Muizzu, stated that should India choose not to remove its troops from the Indian Ocean archipelago, it would be akin to ignoring the ``democratic will'' of the Maldivian people and could jeopardize the country's democratic future. The president did, however, support defense collaboration with India, citing mutual respect and trust as the foundation for this cooperation, even as he rejected any permanent military presence. This cooperation includes attempts to increase the operational preparedness of the Maldives National Defence Force. He conveyed confidence that a discussion will be used to overcome the problem of military presence.
The speaker asserted that the Constitution's letter and spirit are violated by the deployment of foreign military personnel in the Maldives without parliamentary authority. Concerned about his perceived bias towards China, which he is anticipated to visit prior to his journey to India, so becoming the first democratically elected president to do so, Muizzu declared he will exclusively adhere to pro-Maldives policies. He exhibited his faith that communication would be the means to fix the matter. "India is one of our closest friends. We share traditional and cultural roots. That is a historical fact. The relationship between two countries is growing at an intensified rate in areas such as trade, commerce, investment, and tourism".
The Maldives President emphasized the importance of their two countries' relationship and supported defense cooperation, particularly the development of the Maldives National Defence Force. He went on to provide clarification regarding the agreement for the Indian Navy to conduct hydrographic surveys. He stated that since the Maldives has its own national hydrography agency, they are not renewing their arrangement with Inda, but they will look to "external partners" for assistance if needed.
