Indian military helicopters in the Maldives are regularly operated despite the removal of uniformed Indian military personnel based in the country, Adhadhu has learned.
The helicopters are flown at least twice a week, an airport worker told Adhadhu on the condition of anonymity. The helicopters are flown to regulate maintenance of the aircraft, the official said.
“Helicopters are flown every other day or so. Really they can’t be kept without flying,” the official said.
The use of India’s two helicopters and Dornier aircraft for humanitarian assistance stopped after the change of government. Removing the Indian military from the Maldives was one of the main pledges of the current government.
In order to fulfil the pledge, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu introduced an air ambulance service. In addition, a military Air Corp was introduced and began surveillance of Maldivian territorial waters with three drones brought from Türkiye.
Despite the new services making India’s helicopters and Dornier redundant, the government agreed to keep the aircraft in the Maldives. Civilian personnel from India were also brought to operate the aircraft.
Some politicians in the Maldives have also expressed concern over the operation of the Indian aircraft.
Former Home Minister Umar Naseer, who contested in the last presidential election, alleged that Indian military operations will be conducted in the Maldives as long as the aircraft remain in the country.
Umar said the government did not only pledge to “send back a group of Indian soldiers” but to remove the Indian military from the Maldives.
“That was the pledge, okay. The government shouldn’t put various spins on top of the pledge today. The pledge wasn’t to expel soldiers. That’s nonsense. That’s a lie, okay? The pledge was to expel the military. It’s written on walls in the street,” Umar said.
When contacted about flights of the Indian military aircraft in the Maldives, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) media official said he would check and get back to Adhadhu but did not respond later.
However, the airport official who informed Adhadhu said that an MNDF soldier is always onboard when the helicopters are flown.
