According to reports from Male, the island nation Maldive's capital, India has evacuated more than half of its soldiers stationed there before the May 10 deadline. The decision was made in response to President Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives' promise to disband an Indian military garrison that was in charge of policing the nation's maritime borders. 51 of the 89 Indian military soldiers who were stationed in the Maldives have already gone, while the remaining personnel are scheduled to leave by May 10.

Since taking office a year ago, President Muizzu has made a point of bolstering his connections with China and lessening India's sway in the Maldives. Muizzu's decision to visit China instead of India as his first state visit destination, breaking with convention, demonstrated this shift of loyalty. The Maldives has signed a number of agreements with Beijing under his direction with the goal of strengthening bilateral ties and advancing economic cooperation. Notably, the Maldives and China inked a military aid agreement in March, the same month that the Indian forces started to leave.

The relations between India and the Maldives have been noticeably tense since President Muizzu assumed office. Moosa Zameer, the Foreign Minister of the Maldives, is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi on Wednesday for official discussions aimed at resolving the diplomatic deadlock. The discussions are expected to center on the deteriorating relations between the two countries and the importance of the Maldives' growing relationship with China.

BOB Post