Maldives demands withdrawal of Indian troops by March 15

The Maldives has called for India to withdraw troops from its territory by March 15, an official said, in a step that will further strain ties between South Asian neighbours.

President Mohamed Muizzu won the election last year with a pledge to end the Maldives' "India first" policy, in a region where New Delhi and Beijing compete for influence.

A small contingent of around 80 Indian soldiers are stationed on the Indian Ocean archipelago to provide support for military equipment given to the Maldives by New Delhi and assist in humanitarian activities in the region. Muizzu proposed their removal in talks at the foreign ministry between senior delegations from both countries.

"In this meeting, on behalf of President Muizzu, the Maldivian delegation proposed the removal of Indian troops by March 15," Ahmed Nazim, Policy Director at the President's Office told reporters on Sunday.

"This date was proposed in the agenda by the government and specifically the president. These discussions are ongoing."

In his campaign, Muizzu called New Delhi's huge influence a threat to sovereignty and pledged to remove Indian troops.

"The most important point to note here is that Indian troops cannot stay in the Maldives. That's the policy of this government. It is also the president's pledge and what the people of Maldives want," Nazim added.

A spokesperson for India's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.

China and the Maldives upgraded their relationship during Muizzu's first state visit to Beijing last week by agreeing to a "comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership" that sets the stage for the Asian giant to up its investments in the Maldives.

The Maldives owes China $1.37B, or around 20 percent of its public debt, according to World Bank data.