Mohamed Muizzu, Maldivian presidential candidate of the opposition People’s National Congress party, speaks to media personnel during the second round of the presidential election in Male, Maldives September 30, 2023. Portal/Dhahau Naseem/File Photo ACKNOWLEDGE RIGHTS
NEW DELHI, Oct 4 (Portal) – Foreign forces cannot stay in the Maldives, President-elect Mohamed Muizzu said at a rally celebrating his victory in closely watched weekend presidential elections that saw a reset in relations to India and China is expected.
Muizzu, who defeated incumbent President Ibrahim Solih in Saturday’s second-round runoff, is backed by a coalition known to be close to China and launched an “India Out” campaign against a small unit of the Indian military several years ago championed.
“All countries that agree with our pro-Maldives policy will be our close friends and allies,” Muizzu told supporters at the event on Monday.
“We will send foreign soldiers back to the Maldives,” he added, without naming a country.
In the past, his party viewed India’s overwhelming influence as a potential threat to sovereignty, and Muizzu accused the South Asian country of establishing a permanent military presence in the Indian Ocean archipelago.
India, which has traditionally had close ties with Male, disputes that claim and is helping build a naval port for Maldivian forces to be trained by its military.
New Delhi will “wait and watch” Muizzu’s policies, a senior Indian government official said on condition of anonymity.
“He has to work with us and we have to work with him,” the official added, stressing that India is “not against the Maldives”.
Solih, who championed an “India First” policy, will remain in office until Muizzu’s inauguration on November 17.
Reporting by Mohamed Junayd, Krishn Kaushik and Uditha Jayasinghe; Writing by Blassy Boben; Editing by Clarence Fernandez
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