It has been revealed that negotiations are ongoing despite President Mohamed Muizzu's claim that the government has changed the provisions which affect the country's independence and sovereignty in agreements signed with other states.
Speaking at a press conference at the President's Office on May 3, 2025, Muizzu said there is nothing to worry about in the agreements made by the previous government with other countries.
Muizzu's remarks at the record-setting press conference drew criticism from former government officials and the public. When pressed further, he told reporters that the most concerning agreement had been cancelled, while concerns in the remaining agreements have been discussed and resolved.
"We have looked at the military agreements. The main assurance I want to give is that if there was anything that would harm our country in protecting its freedom and sovereignty, it has been resolved now," Muizzu said.
His claim had not previously been disclosed by the administration.
Under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) legal director, Ahmed Mauroof, asked for clarification on what agreements Muizzu referred to.
“Noting that the said agreements are bilateral and since it is important to maintain their confidentiality, we want to inform that negotiations are currently underway,” the President’s Office said in its response to the RTI.
The response revealed that negotiations on the agreements were not finalised. The President's Office also could not clarify whether the agreements had been changed.
However, before coming to power, the People's National Congress (PNC) expressed concerns over the agreements signed with other countries, especially India, by the MDP government.
Muizzu and senior PNC officials have previously said that these agreements will affect the Maldives' sovereignty.
After the PNC came to power, the parliament began studying the hydrography agreement, the Uthuru Thila Falhu agreement and the military aircraft agreement.
The hydrography agreement was cancelled, while work on the remaining agreements has stalled.
The Muizzu administration later discussed extending the duration of the agreements for operating two helicopters and a Dornier aircraft donated to the Maldives by India.
The removal of the Indian troops based in the Maldives to operate the two helicopters and Dornier aircraft is Muizzu's biggest pledge. He said their presence in the country is a threat to national security.
Since assuming office in November 2023, several rounds of talks have been held between the two countries to remove the Indian soldiers. But under the final agreement, the uniformed soldiers were replaced by staff from Hindustan Aeronautics, which operates directly under the Indian Defence Ministry.
