New Delhi: A week after the first batch of Indian soldiers left the archipelago nation, senior officials of India and Maldives reviewed the ongoing transition in the operation of three Indian aircraft on Sunday.The High-Level Core Group, set up after Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu called for withdrawal of Indian troops, met for the third time in the Maldivian capital. It met about six weeks after their last meeting on February 2, when it was decided that India would withdraw its soldiers operating the three planes and replace them with civilian personnel.As per the Indian Ministry of External Affairs’ readout, the two sides “reviewed the ongoing deputation of Indian technical personnel to enable continued operation of Indian aviation platforms that provide humanitarian and medvac services to the people of Maldives”.The Maldives foreign ministry, on the other hand, shared a similar agenda a slightly different emphasis. “During the meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both sides noted the progress that have been made in replacing Indian military personnel with civilians at the aviation platforms in the Maldives,” said the Maldivian press communique.The first batch of civilian technical personnel arrived on February 26 in Maldives. At the same time, India also dispatched a new helicopter to replace the current one, which was being brought back for “repairs”.On March 11, Maldives’ defence forces announced the departure of Indian troops who were stationed at Addu. The dates for the other two planes to have a change in crew are April 10 and May 10.Just a day after assuming office, President Muizzu officially urged India to withdraw its troops from the Maldives.Muizzu’s successful presidential campaign largely hinged on the opposition’s ‘India Out’ movement. Originating in 2020 under former President Abdulla Yameen, the ‘India Out’ initiative targeted the Solih administration, accusing it of having close ties with New Delhi and asserting that the presence of Indian military personnel infringed upon Maldivian sovereignty.During his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on side-lines of CoP summit in Dubai, both leaders agreed to establish a committee of officials to address this demand.
