The Maldives has recently asked India to withdraw their military helicopters and personnel who are posted there after the expiration of an agreement between the countries in the month of June. The Maldives ambassador in India is Ahmed Mohammed. He said that there were two military helicopters of India in the Maldives which were used mainly for medical evacuation and that they are now no longer needed as the country has developed resources of its own. However, India and Maldives have been conducting joint patrols in the country’s exclusive economic zone every month. Mohamed said. The Maldives, 400 km (250 miles) to the southwest of India, is close to the world’s busiest shipping lanes, between China and the Middle East.
Along with the helicopters, India had stationed around 50 military personnel, including pilots and maintenance crew, and their visas had expired. But New Delhi has not yet withdrawn them from the island chain. An Indian Navy spokesman said that they were still there and that the foreign ministry is handling the situation right now.
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