Amid diplomatic row with India, Maldives sign new military pact with China

The new military pact between China and the Maldives comes just weeks after Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu requested the withdrawal of a contingent of Indian military personnel stationed there

Amid a diplomatic dispute with India, the Maldives is poised to receive free military aid from China. On Monday, Beijing signed a defence cooperation agreement with the Maldives, aiming to provide free military assistance and strengthen bilateral relations.

This development follows a decision by Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, who set a deadline for the withdrawal of the first group of Indian military personnel from his country amid escalating tensions between the two nations.

Defence Minister of the Maldives, Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon, recently held a meeting with Major General Zhang Baoqun, Deputy Director of China's Office for International Military Cooperation. The discussion centred on strengthening defence cooperation between the Maldives and China.

Maumoon and Major General Baoqun "signed an agreement on China's provision of military assistance gratis to the Republic of Maldives, fostering stronger bilateral ties," the Maldivian defence ministry posted on its X (formerly Twitter) handle.

 

Aside from the free military assistance, China has also gifted 12 eco-friendly ambulances to Maldives, Edition.mv news portal reported on Monday. The same was announced during a ceremony held at the Ministry of Health on Sunday, attended by Chinese Ambassador to Maldives Wang Lixin.

The visit of the Chinese military delegation to the Maldives is taking place days after India confirmed that its first civilian team of technical experts has reached the island nation to replace the military personnel operating an advanced light helicopter in the country.

President Muizzu had previously set a deadline of March 10 for the withdrawal of the first group of Indian troops from Maldives.

"The first team of technical personnel to operate the advanced light helicopter has reached the Maldives. It will replace the existing personnel who were operating this platform," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in New Delhi at his weekly media briefing on February 29.