New Delhi: The new government in Maldives has signed a USD 37-million deal with Turkey to buy military drones that will patrol its high seas – a task so far done by India in partnership with the Maldivian defence forces.
The decision comes in the backdrop of President Mohamed Muizzu’s 15 March deadline for 77 Indian military personnel to leave the island nation. Muizzu came to power last September, riding on an anti-India rhetoric and ‘India out’ campaign.
Interestingly, the Indian officers stationed in Maldives were those who operated and maintained two Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters and a Dornier aircraft gifted to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) by India, besides training the Maldivian military.
The helicopters were used for transport of patients from various islands of the archipelago nation to hospitals in Malé, which has saved over 500 lives till now. The Dornier carried out reconnaissance flights by the Maldivian military against suspicious ships, gun and narcotics trafficking.
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These will now be replaced by Turkish drones – the likely candidate being the Aksungur drones which are used for maritime operations and surveillance.
Maldivian media Adhadhu reported that the money for the Turkish drones has been allocated from the state’s contingency budget. Quoting government sources, it said the Finance Ministry has already released part of the payment to the MNDF.
It added that under the agreement signed by the Maldives government with a company which supplies drones to the Turkish military, the money will be paid in instalments. According to the agreement, the payment for the transaction must be done within this year.
Turkey has been at the forefront of drone warfare and has emerged as one of the biggest exporters of drones, both armed and unarmed.
The two leading Turkish companies in drone manufacturing are Baykar Defense, owned by the son-in-law of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), owned by a Turkish military foundation.
Maldives is one of New Delhi’s key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and part of its ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’. But ties between Male and New Delhi have been strained ever since President Muizzu came to power last year.
The President, perceived to be “pro-China” broke precedent and went to Turkey as part of his first foreign visit instead of India. He has also made a state visit to China.
Under then-President Abdulla Yameen of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Male had signed a Comprehensive Action Plan for Defence in 2016 with New Delhi. When the lease for these helicopters expired in 2018, the Yameen government asked New Delhi to take them back.
However, after pro-India Ibrahim Mohamed Solih of the Maldivian Democratic Party came to power in September that year, these demands were revoked.
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
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