Chinese Troops Won't Replace Indian Soldiers, Says Maldives New Leader
NDTV
Mohamed Muizzu's election success in September hinged on a sustained campaign against India's political and economic clout in the Maldives.
The Maldives's incoming president Mohamed Muizzu has called on Indian troops to leave after taking office later this week, but told AFP he does not want to redraw regional balance by bringing in Chinese forces instead.
"Maldives is too small to be entangled in geopolitical rivalry," the president-elect said in an interview on the strategically located Indian Ocean archipelago. "I am not very much interested to engage the Maldivian foreign policy in this."
Muizzu's election success in September hinged on a sustained campaign against India's political and economic clout in the Maldives, and specifically his pledge to eject Indian forces.
