Feb. 3, NEW DELHI/MALE (Reuters) - The Maldivian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that India will withdraw its troops from the Maldives by May, as the two nations attempt to resolve their tense relations over the withdrawal.

According to officials from both nations, the about 80 soldiers stationed in the Indian Ocean islands will be replaced by civilians.
Traditionally close to its neighbor India, the Maldives have being courted by China and India as global powers vie for influence in the Indo-Pacific area.

Since Mohamed Muizzu was elected president of the Maldives last year and promised to end the nation's "India First" policy, New Delhi's relations with Male have become strained.

He has demanded that the soldiers stationed to support the military hardware that New Delhi has provided to the Maldives be removed by March 15 in order to enable humanitarian efforts in the area.

According to the Maldives, a high-level conference in the Indian capital resulted in an agreement on a number of matters pertaining to bilateral cooperation. The first batch of Indian forces would depart by March 10 and the remaining troops by May 10.

The two nations "agreed on a set of mutually workable solutions to enable continued operation of Indian aviation platforms" that offer aid to the Maldives, according to India's foreign ministry.

A request for comment on the troop drawdown was not immediately answered by the ministry, and its statement omitted any indication of a timeline.

India claims that the soldiers, who consist of twelve medical personnel, assist in medical evacuations as well as humanitarian relief for the people living on the nation's isolated islands.

Male has received two helicopters and a Dornier aircraft from New Delhi; these are mostly utilized for medical evacuations, search and rescue missions, and maritime surveillance. These actions are overseen by Indian troops.

The Maldivian foreign ministry announced that the next bilateral meeting will take place in Male during the final week of February.
William Mallard edited the stories written by Krishn Kaushik in Delhi and Mohamed Junayd in Male.