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Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday ruled out any further troop deployment in Maldives by India, and said the issue was addressed satisfactorily and there is no need to go back to the earlier situation.
He stated that security activities at the aviation platforms on the island nation had already been started with technical personnel working on them. "The solution to this issue was found; this issue was addressed and it was acknowledged on both sides that the issue has been addressed satisfactorily. The activities on our aviation platforms have already been started there and the technical personnel there are working on it. I don't think we now need to go back to that earlier situation; we are not in that earlier situation again," Misri said addressing the special briefing on Monday. "I would point you in the direction of President Muizzu's own remarks where he has also referred to the resolution of this issue and again, with consistent dialogue and, you know, recognise the efforts of the High Commissioner who's present with us here who was part of the high-level Core Group that was set up to address and resolve this issue to the satisfaction of both sides," Misri added. Notably, removal of Indian troops from Maldives, was a key electoral promise for Muizzu, who ran the campaign on 'India Out' slogan. The Indian troops, were in Maldives to assist in medvac services to the island nation. Upon insistence from Male, New Delhi replaced the troops by technical personnel. Speaking on the defence cooperation between both countries, Misri said that defence and security relationship came up significantly and substantively in the discussions. He added said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Muizzu also emphasised the importance and significance of the defence and security partnership between the two countries and further reiterated their intention to reinforce the relationship by taking it forward. "With regard to defence cooperation, with the exception of one issue that has been discussed and debated earlier, there are no issues with regard to cooperation between India and the Maldives. Today, during the discussions, the defence and security relationship came up significantly and substantively in the discussions between the two leaders. Both of them emphasised the importance and significance of the defence and security partnership between the two countries and how it was the intention of both sides to reinforce this relationship and take it forward. So there is very little doubt, in our mind that we will continue to work with the Maldives in a very close manner as we did previously in responding to the defence and security challenges that face us," the Foreign Secretary said. Muizzu, who arrived in India on Sunday on a five-day visit, was accorded a ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan earlier today. President Droupadi Murmu and PM Modi received the Maldivian President and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed as they arrived at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Muizzu and Maldives First Lady paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. After paying tribute at the Mahatma Gandhi memorial, Muizzu also signed the visitors' book at Rajghat. (ANI)
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