Maldives Signs Defence Agreement With China Amid Row With India

Maldives and China signed a defence cooperation agreement on Monday. Under this agreement China will provide free military assistance to Maldives. This development comes after President Mohamed Muizzu set a deadline for the withdrawal of the first group of Indian military personnel from the island nation.

The Defence Minister of the Maldives Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon “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 handle.

The details of the defence cooperation agreement were not provided.

Meanwhile, China has also gifted 12 eco-friendly ambulances to Maldives, Edition.mv news portal reported on Monday.

In a ceremony held at the Ministry of Health on Sunday,

The visit of the Chinese military delegation took place days after Male allowed Xiang Yang Hong 03, a hi-tech Chinese research ship to make a port call for the “rotation of its personnel and replenishment.”

President Muizzu, a pro-China leader, has set March 10 as the deadline for the withdrawal of the first group of Indian military personnel from his country.