The "red line" of the Maldivian state's independence will be drawn thick, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has said, vowing to ensure that there will be no foreign troops on Maldivian soil.
Expelling service personnel who operate aircraft donated by neighbouring India -personnel who were deemed to be Indian soldiers - was a campaign pledge of Muizzu.
In his inaugural address after taking the oath of office as the eighth President of the Maldives, Muizzu said "the Maldivian people will be top of the list" in his service.
"I will maintain friendly relations with nations. I won't be adversarial and hateful. We will have ties with neighbors and distant nations as well," Muizzu said in front of Indian dignitaries in attendance.
Despite maintaining bilateral ties, the "red line will be drawn thickly" to protect the country's sovereignty and independence, he said.
"That is a red line that every country has, that every country should have. The Maldivian state should have that right as well, and it must be respected," the President said during the ceremony at the Republic Square.
"I will not allow that right to be deprived from us. I will ensure that there are no soldiers of any foreign country in the Maldives."
Muizzu gave the same assurance in his first address to supporters after winning the presidential election.
The problem could be resolved through diplomatic means with dialogue, he said.
Foreign countries should respect the message sent by voters in the presidential election that Maldivians do not want foreign troops in the country, he had said.
He repeated the statement in today's speech.
In response to the opposition's allegations about Indian soldiers based in the Maldives, the previous government said Indian personnel in the country were humanitarian service providers needed to operate two helicopters and Dornier aircraft donated by India and used for medical evacuations.
One of the helicopters was brought during former President Mohamed Nasheed's government and the other was brought during the government of former President Abdulla Yameen, who later opposed the presence of Indian soldiers and sought their removal along with the helicopters.
The Defense Ministry previously said 75 Indian personnel were based in the Maldives to operate the two helicopters and Dornier aircraft, which was 25 people per aircraft.
The administration of former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih insisted that there were no armed Indian soldiers in the Maldives.
Debt and development
In his inaugural speech, Muizzu characterized the country's present fiscal situation as "a deep pit" with record levels of public debt.
"When we take over the Maldivian state today, the debt of the state has reached a total of MVR 119 billion. This is the largest debt seen in the history of the Maldives and the life of the country's finances. However, we will take quite strong and swift action to overcome this," the President said.
Muizzu stressed the necessity of finding new avenues for revenue growth and taking innovative measures to cut costs.
The completion of the Velana International Airport's expansion project would be one of the most important steps towards that end, he said.
The airport's new terminal will be opened soon, which would facilitate exponential growth in tourist arrivals, Muizzu said.
The new President said infrastructure development and human resource development would be equally prioritized in his administration.
Both types of development were necessary to ensure security and to earn the respect of the world, he said.
"Developing housing, bastions of defense, roads, piers and offices, and developing a virtuous society with sound minds. Developing the country's land and the country's minds. The policy of the presidential term that has begun will be to equally value and carry out both these types of development - knowledge and skill, conduct and religion, rectitude and industriousness," he said.
