Amidst the tension with India, Maldives is gradually expanding the scope of its friendship.
After signing the defense agreement with China, Muizzu has made a new deal with the Islamic country Turkey. Mohammad Muizzu has purchased military drones for the first time in the new deal with Turkey.
The thing to note is that this step of Maldives has come before the withdrawal of Indian troops. Indian soldiers from Maldives will return to India by May 10.
Earlier, Muizzu has purchased military drones for surveillance on the Indian border. There are also reports that Maldives will start operating these drones from next week.
The Maldives has acquired a large number of drones from Turkey to patrol its exclusive economic zone in the Indian Ocean, just days after signing a defense deal to acquire non-lethal weapons from China, according to a media report on Saturday. Have bought.
The report said that the exact number of drones purchased is not clear nor has there been any official confirmation in this regard from the Maldives Defense Ministry or Foreign Ministry.
Military drones have reached Maldives for the first time
Maldivian President Mohammed Muizzu, who agreed with Xi Jinping, had indicated on his return from China that his government was considering acquiring drones to patrol its economic zone over the Indian Ocean.
The current Maldives government has made a deal with a Turkish company to purchase drones to patrol its waters. This is the first time that Maldives has brought military drones here for the first time. The drones were delivered to Maldives on March 3.
Maldivian news portal Adhadhu quoted a senior government official close to the matter as saying the drones are currently at Noonu Maafaru International Airport.
Muizu first visited Turkey after becoming President in November last year. It has been said in the report that during the press conference recently, the Maldives government was asked whether the government can operate such drones?
“But the defense ministry official declined to comment directly and said work was ongoing to strengthen capabilities,” the news portal said.
Is this a new trick against India?
In January, while speaking to reporters at Velana International Airport after returning from a state visit to China, Muizu made several claims about his country’s defense without naming India.
Asserting that the Maldives is not dependent on any country’s help, Muizzu had said, “Even though our islands are small, we are a huge country with a very large exclusive economic zone of nine lakh square kilometres. Maldives is a country which has the largest part of this ocean. This ocean is not the property of any particular country.”