After push for troop withdrawal, Muizzu says India ‘closest ally’, requests debt relief

Ever since he took oath as the president in November last year, the pro-China Maldivian leader has pursued a hardline stand towards India and within hours had demanded that Indian military personnel operating three aviation platforms be repatriated from his country by May 10.
On Thursday, in his first interview with the local media since assuming office, Muizzu said India was instrumental in providing aid to the Maldives and has implemented the “greatest number” of projects.

India will continue to remain the Maldives’ closest ally, he said and emphasised that there was no question about it, Maldives news portal Edition.mv said in a report that carried excerpts of Muizzu’s interview to its Dhivehi language sister-publication ‘Mihaaru.’

Muizzu’s comments praising India came after the first batch of Indian military personnel left the island nation this month as planned. By May 10, Muizzu had demanded that all 88 military personnel, manning the three Indian aviation platforms, should leave the country.

During the interview, Muizzu urged India to accommodate debt relief measures for the Maldives in the repayment of “the hefty loans taken over consecutive governments.” “The conditions we have inherited are such that there are very large loans taken from India. Hence, we are holding discussions to explore leniencies in the repayment structure of these loans.

“Instead of halting any ongoing projects … to proceed with them at speed, so I see no reason for any adverse effects (on Maldives-India relations),” Muizzu added.
Muizzu’s conciliatory comments towards India came ahead of Parliament elections in Maldives slated in mid-April. He said Maldives has taken significant loans from India, which are heftier than can be borne by the Maldivian economy. “Due to this, he is currently discussing with the Indian government to explore options to repay the loans to the best of the Maldives’ economic capabilities,” the news portal said quoting him.

Muizzu, who expressed hope that India would “facilitate debt relief measures in the repayment of these loans,” also said that he has conveyed his appreciation to the Indian government for their contributions.