Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer has stated today that it is civilian employees of the company that manufactured the Indian-gifted helicopters that have come to replace the Indian military personnel who were previously stationed in the Maldives to operate the flights.
In a press conference held today by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defence and MNDF, Zameer confirmed that all 76 Indian military personnel that had been stationed in the Maldives to operate the military aircrafts gifted by India had left the country by yesterday, in accordance with the pledge of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu.
Offering details about the civilians who arrived from India to replace their military personnel, Zameer explained that the civilians are employees of the company that manufactured the helicopters that were gifted to Maldives from India.
"These civilians are employees of the helicopter manufacturer, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited," Zameer said.
Zameer addressed comments alleging that the military personnel were remaining in Maldives, only in civilian clothes instead of uniform.
"Indian military was not here under any deception, were they? So there is no reason for us to have doubts when the Government of India has stated that these are civilians," he asserted.
Zameer revealed that the number of civilians that have arrived to replace the military troops are equal in number to the personnel they are replacing. These civilians will be stationed in Maldives for a predetermined period of time, which has been agreed to by both countries, he said.
Minister of Defence Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon stated that the Maldives Government had ensured that the people who had arrived to replace the Indian military personnel are, in fact, civilians.
Ghassan added that the command and control of the aircrafts are now officially under the Defence Ministry and MNDF.
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