In a latest development, the Maldives, led by President Mohamed Muizzu with close ties to China, has inked an agreement with Turkey to acquire military drones for patrolling its exclusive economic zone waters. This region in the Indian Ocean was previously patrolled jointly by India and the Maldives.

According to a report from Adhadhu on Tuesday, Male has finalized a deal with a Turkish company to purchase military drones for safeguarding its waters. The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) will receive a budget allocation of $37 million for this purpose from the state's contingency funds.

This move comes on the heels of the Maldives urging India to withdraw its troops stationed in the country by March 15. Currently, there are around 88 Indian military personnel in the Maldives, operating and maintaining radar stations and surveillance aircraft, including a Dornier plane and two Dhruv helicopters gifted to Male over the past decade.

Historically, India had a strong alliance with Male during Mohamed Nasheed's presidency from 2008 to 2013 and Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's term from 2018 to 2023. However, the dynamics shifted during Abdulla Yameen's rule from 2013 to 2018, who, like the current president, leaned towards China.

In 2018, with Solih replacing Yameen, the Indian Navy deployed the offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Sumedha to conduct surveillance of the Maldives' exclusive economic waters in collaboration with the Maldivian military. During this time, elite Marine commandos from the Indian Navy trained the Maldivian military in asymmetric warfare.

Under Muizzu's leadership, who came into power in November 2023, the relations between India and the Maldives have taken a turn. President Muizzu has openly advocated the 'India-out' campaign and has recently made foreign visits to Turkey and China. His visit to China, breaking the tradition of first visiting India, was seen as a gesture that raised eyebrows in New Delhi.

The relationship further soured after three Maldivian deputy ministers made disparaging remarks against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi following his visit to the Indian islands of Lakshadweep earlier this month.

For decades, India and China have vied for influence in the Maldives, a strategically located island nation just a few hundred nautical miles from Kerala. The geopolitical importance of the Maldives has made it a focal point in the ongoing competition between these two Asian powers.

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